


Ending Game

by FaceOfTheMirror



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adventure, Aged-Up Character(s), Agender Knuckles the Echidna, Agender Shadow the Hedgehog, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Amy is from Little Planet, Angst, Angst and Feels, Asexual Miles "Tails" Prower, Asexual Sonic the Hedgehog, Author is not an expert on politics and it shows, Autistic Big the Cat, Autistic Espio the Chameleon, Autistic Miles "Tails" Prower, Autistic Shadow the Hedgehog, Backstory, Because I'm still salty, Because Sonic Team wouldn't know continuity if it bit them in the ass, Big is slow and huggable and we love him, Bisexual Amy Rose, Bisexual Antoine D'Coolette, Bisexual Knuckles the Echidna, Bisexual Vector the Crocodile, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherly Love, Buckle up everyone this is gonna be one hell of a ride, Chaos Emeralds, Charmy Bee Has ADHD, Child Abandonment, Contracts, Crying, Dimension Travel, Elise didn't blow out the Flame, Elise is the Duchess of Soleanna, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, End of the World, Espio and Vector are married, Everybody hates G.U.N., Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Is Gay, Existentialism, Family, Fire Powers, Flashbacks, Friendship, Gay Shadow the Hedgehog, Gay Silver the Hedgehog, Gen, Government Conspiracy, Heavy Angst, Honestly does anyone remember that one?, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Knuckles actually guarding the Master Emerald, Lesbian Blaze the Cat, Lesbian Rouge the Bat, Let Amy Rose Say Fuck, Maria Robotnik gets character development, Master Emerald, Men Crying, Mistaken Identity, Mobians are really tiny, Mystery, Nonbinary Big the Cat, Nonbinary Character, Orphans, Pansexual Bunnie Rabbot, Pansexual Espio the Chameleon, Past Character Death, Platonic Relationships, Politics, Polysexual Sally Acorn, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prophetic Visions, Regardless she is trying her best, Religion, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Science Experiments, Shadow and Rouge are mlm/wlw solidarity and you can't change my mind, Shadow has a Service Chao, Shadow is a kid, Sonic Is An Alien Theory, Sonic is not related to Sonia and Manic, Space Colony ARK, Supportive Team Dark, Tags May Change, Team as Family, The Sol Dimension, Time Travel, Timeline Shenanigans, Trans Rouge the Bat, Trans Sally Acorn, Trauma, What happened on the ARK, Why? Because I do what I want, Worldbuilding, autistic characters, i'm right and i should say it, like holy fuck, lots of fire, multiple POVs, not Sonic Forces compliant, tagging is hard, we STAN
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 55,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22980706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaceOfTheMirror/pseuds/FaceOfTheMirror
Summary: After Solaris faded away in the Rift seven years ago, the world was finally at peace - aside from destructive gods and Dr. Eggman wreaking havoc. Now, as Sonic and the others prepare for the official coronation of Princess Sally, everyone is waiting for Eggman to make yet another move against them.But something else is brewing on the horizon; something that is spreading, poisoning, tearing everything apart like a disease - and no one is sure where it has come from.Now with prophetic visions of ancient times, hidden secrets coming to light, and a new player with unknown allegiance emerging, Sonic and the others must gather together to face off against a new enemy with a delusional plan and a familiar face.But they don't have long to prepare - because there's so much they don't understand, and the Eclipse will not wait for them.
Relationships: Amy Rose & Cream the Rabbit, Amy Rose & Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose & Shadow the Hedgehog, Amy Rose & Silver the Hedgehog, Amy Rose & Sonic the Hedgehog, Amy Rose/Sally Acorn, Antoine D'Coolette/Bunnie Rabbot, Blaze the Cat & Silver the Hedgehog, Cream the Rabbit & Shadow the Hedgehog, E-123 Omega & Shadow the Hedgehog, Espio the Chameleon/Vector the Crocodile, Knuckles the Echidna & Rouge the Bat, Knuckles the Echidna & Sonic the Hedgehog, Maria Robotnik & Shadow the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower & Shadow the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower & Sonic the Hedgehog, Past Sally Acorn/Sonic the Hedgehog, Princess Elise & Sonic the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog & Silver the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog & Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, lads, here we are and welcome to this fic that I've had brewing in the back of my mind for many years, but which I am only now feeling the confidence to write properly.  
> Needless to say, I saw the Sonic Movie, and my age-old hyperfixation immediately came back for full force, and there is nothing you, I, or God can do to stop it so here we are.  
> Anyway, I have no idea how long this is going to be, but I do have the vaguest notion of where we're going and a clear end in sight with multiple clear patches of things I know will happen, so we'll get there somehow, I just can't say how because I don't heckin' know, but we're trying and that's what matters.
> 
> Alright, with that, I hope ya'll enjoy this mess I have created for myself over many years!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing except the original characters and the story.

#  Act I: The Coronation

They hadn't been certain what to expect when Solaris - the true Solaris, complete and uncorrupted - swallowed them whole, enveloping them with light that consumed all of their senses and all of their thoughts. Elise thought, for a moment, that perhaps she was dying. If so, it was warm - perhaps even comforting. If nothing else, she would be content to die with the image of being surrounded by friends, with Amelia holding her hand as Sonic and the others radiated ancient power and guarded them against the flares of light that erupted from Solaris as it started to die. Moreover, she would be content to die with her dearest friend at her side and the memory of when she was little playing out before her - with her father lovingly explaining the beautiful little flame within the altar to a whimsical little girl with so many dreams before everything had collapsed underneath her feet.

But nothing was collapsing underneath her feet, for, now, they were on solid marble tile that her heels clacked against as she and Sonic stepped towards the angel-shaped altar, wings poised for flight and body positioned in prayer. In the center, a translucent shield - a barrier - standing between them and the object of their desires - Solaris.  
Solaris when it was still but a tiny flame, white and growing stronger with each passing day. Elise let a small smile raise the corners of her mouth, her eyes soft as she regarded the flame that had caused her and her friends so much misery.

"This is where everything began," she said, breaking the silence between them. She shook her head. "Who knew such a tiny flame could cause so much destruction?"

Sonic didn't say anything. She didn't think she expected him to. He talked a lot, sometimes without a filter, about anything that came to mind as if to fill a silence she couldn't hear. But he also seemed to know when it was best not to say anything - she admired that about him.

"I remember thinking Solaris was beautiful when I first saw it," she continued, "My father used to tell me so many amazing stories about what it could do, and what we would be able to use it for when it was fully grown. His intentions were noble. But they were also misplaced."

Elise let her fingertips graze the surface of the barrier surrounding Solaris, and it fell at her silent command, exposing the tiny flame to the world. Carefully, she cupped her hands around the bottom of Solaris's holder, a bright blue light - cold and impersonal but not unwelcome in the slightest - illuminating the space between, and brought Solaris out of its alter, holding it before her in all of its small and minimal glory.  
It seemed ridiculous to be afraid of such a tiny thing. After everything she had seen, she wasn't certain if being unafraid was foolish for not.

"I never imagined Solaris as evil," she said, turning slightly to face her small friend but never taking her eyes away from the white flame in her hands, "Really... I don't think it ever was. I believe they made it that way - my father and the researchers. My father's experiments were fueled by his dreams. I don't believe Solaris was ever evil... I think they taught it how to be."

Elise bit her lip momentarily, and pulled her eyes away from Solaris, resting them on Sonic instead.

"I don't want to think ill of my father... I know he never meant to do anything wrong. But I also know that, in the end, he may have been the one who caused all of this in the first place. He was so fixated on his ideals and his hope for humanity... that he couldn't see the damage he was doing to Solaris - what he was turning it into." 

Her shoulders drooped as she released a shaky sigh, pressing her mouth into a thin line. She understood what came next - it had been explained to her a long time ago. It had been a theory, more than anything, based on stories and facts that they had believed to be true. In her heart, Elise knew that it was. She just didn't think it would be this hard.

"I suppose everything is said and done now," she stated, feeling the corners of her eyes start to burn, "You three reverted Solaris to its original form. Soon... I'm sure the Flame will flicker away in the Rift." She stopped before her voice hitched in her throat and didn't understand why she was reacting this way - that was a good thing. It was a _good_ thing, but the _best_ thing was...

"And..." 

She almost jumped when she heard Sonic speak up from beside her and looked towards him. His expression was delicate as he shifted his feet as though he couldn't stand to stay still for more than a few moments. She wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

"...what do _you_ think about that?"

His tone was soft and his green eyes unsure as he asked his question. He wasn't used to these kinds of situations, she could tell. Elise lowered her own eyes as she considered it, the marble beneath their feet so familiar and yet so foreign all at once. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, careful and hesitant as she spoke.

"It's probably for the better," she said, at last, looking back to Solaris as it gently danced in her grasp, "If Solaris is permitted to exist in the regular world, then it is likely that the same series of events will happen all over again - maybe forever... And if the Flame dies in the Rift, then the rest of reality will likely be unaffected - for the most part, if nothing else. The only thing that will remain constant is that it happened. Of course... I can't exactly say what that will mean for everything, but..."

This is what she had been afraid of. It was something that she had always known and something that she had always accepted, but it was never something she thought she would have to carry out. When it had been explained to her so long ago, it had sounded easy - like the easiest thing in the world. But, now that she was here, she didn't think it could be any more difficult.

" _But_ ," the word tasted bitter and acidic in her mouth, "if we were to put out this Flame... _this particular_ Flame... then Solaris will cease to exist, right here and now. And then we would never have to worry about the Flames of Disaster. Which means..." she swallowed thickly, trying to drown the stone that was sinking in her gut and the tears that threatened to burst forth. She had been doing it for her whole life - there was no reason she shouldn't be able to do it now, so _why_ was it so hard? "All of these events will have never come to pass-" Sonic moved suddenly in her peripheral vision as if he was just now realizing what she had known for the grand majority of her life, "-You and I... will never meet. It will never have happened..."

Her eyes stung. The pull in her throat hurt. She closed her eyes tightly against the onslaught, looking up towards the ceiling in all of her attempts to stop herself from crying. 

"It will _never_ have happened," she repeated, her voice breaking, "but that's the best ending, right?" She felt the slide of wet tears down the sides of her face and the sobs that were building up in the back of her throat after years of suppressing them. The Flames were no longer in her, but, somehow, she still felt like she was failing everyone. 

"Elise," a gentle, gloved hand touched the side of her leg just above her knee and she clung to the light pressure like a lifeline, lowering her leaking eyes to the blue hedgehog that looked at her with eyes so filled with compassion that it was nearly overwhelming. He smiled at her insistently. "Just _smile_."

The sob that had been building in the back of her throat choked out of her all at once - but it wasn't a sob because it was a _laugh_ , and she couldn't stop the rest that followed as she nodded and gently scrubbed her hand across her reddened cheeks and swollen eyes.

"Yes," she laughed, briefly taking her lower lip between her teeth but smiling a toothy grin regardless, "you're right. Somehow, you always are."

He looked sheepish at that, averting his gaze as he shrugged and rubbed his head just behind his ear. She guessed that he wanted to protest; he didn't, though maybe that was for her sake if nothing else.

Her laughter settling and several stray tears slipping down her cheeks, Elise settled her gaze back on the tiny flame in her hand. She felt... calm. Calmer than she ever had felt when gazing at the fire that would end up causing so much devastation in their world. It had been a long time since she was able to regard Solaris with anything other than contempt and fear and guilt. Contempt for taking her father away, fear for the destruction that dwelled inside her soul and guilt for letting that destruction escape in a moment of foolish - but shameless - weakness. Now... she was calm, at last. Carefully, she balanced the holder into one hand and brought the other up to the flickering light as though to caress its dancing form. The Flame curled around her fingers, softly licking the edges of her skin, playing with how close it could get without touching her.  
Where it _did_ touch her, there was only a comforting warmth that spread under her skin, up through her arm and into her legs and feet and the tips of her ears. There was no malice there. No hostility. Just _warmth_. At that, Elise smiled. Then she turned back towards the altar, gently placing Solaris back inside and rebuilding the protective barrier. She had never been sure if it was to protect Solaris from onlookers or to protect the onlookers from Solaris. It wasn't important, she supposed. Not anymore.

"The Flame is fine here," she declared, lowering her hand as the barrier was instilled once more, "The Rift will be Solaris' final resting place. That _should_ effectively return reality to the way it was - with, hopefully, minimal change. And all of our memories still intact."

Solaris danced within the altar, reflecting the beat of Elise's heart as she watched.

"I know what the better choice would be... But if Solaris is dying in the Rift, then there's no true reason to destroy it here. If I were to blow out this Flame... _everything_ would change. We would never meet; the Flames of Disaster would never exist; my _entire life_ would be different, along with the lives of countless others. After everything that's happened," she clasped her hands - soft and undamaged, but still somehow worn by time - in front of herself, looking down at them in contemplation, "I _value_ my memories. _And_ my experiences. A lot. They've shaped me into who I am today. Even if who I am today isn't as great as it could be..."

She fell silent again, but the pause was full as she brought her thoughts together, built herself up, and raised her head to gaze at Solaris head-on.

"So from now on," her voice was powerful, more powerful than he had ever heard it from her small form, "I want to be _better_. I want to live for the memory of my father, and the good of Soleanna. I want to be the best Duchess I can be - the one they _deserve_ , and the one my father would have _wanted_ me to be. The one that _I_ want to be. And..." her eyes softened, the corners of her mouth rising into a soft smile, "... if Solaris ever _does_ come back... then I will devote myself to caring for it, and teaching it love; to be good - just as I always believed it was."

Slowly, she turned back to the hedgehog at her side, looking down at him with the same smile she had been giving Solaris, and shrugged her slim shoulders.

"I know it may be a little selfish... and I know that you know that, too," she paused for a brief moment to give him a chance to respond, but he didn't, and she glanced back to the Flame once again, "But I also know there's a purpose to all of this. A reason why all of this happened, even though we didn't want it to - even if we could prevent it entirely. Even if we could prevent it all right now." Her eyes were wide and bright as she looked back at him, filled with a love for something she couldn't describe. "And I want to _try_ to discover that reason, even if I never can. I want to remember. I want to learn from my father's mistakes as well as my own, even if it means being a little selfish."

Sonic stared at her with wide eyes as she made her declaration, making no move to stop her. She regarded him with a sense of pride, and there were no doubts in her face nor her heart.

"I know that you might not approve, and, after everything we've been through, I _do_ care about your opinion... But my time belongs to _me_. Just as yours belong to you. I _value_ that. And I think... maybe... Solaris used to value that as well."

A smile broke over the hedgehog's face, and he raised an eyebrow at her as he placed a hand on his hip.

"Gee, what happened to _you_ in the last few days?" he asked, the joke present in his tone, and she laughed despite herself.

"I learned from you, for the most part," she explained, wiping her eyes and never feeling happier than she had in her life, "But for the first time in a long time... I think I grew up." 

The smile he gave her was genuine, with an emotion that she couldn't name if she tried. After years of keeping her emotions under lock and key, being unable to afford even a single moment of weakness, smiling until her cheeks hurt and laughing until she couldn't breathe and crying without restraint until her throat was raw and her eyes ached was overwhelming - but it was also exhilarating all the same. Finally, after spending so much of her life feeling like she wasn't real, she was now certain that she existed.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked, and Sonic nodded, reaching up - nearly on his toes - to give her hands a gentle squeeze, before letting go. Elise held her hands together tighter, hesitating for a moment as she itched with the urge to look at Solaris once more and perhaps never look away again. But she knew that wouldn't be worth anything. Right here and now, and whatever waited ahead of her, was what mattered. Solaris, half of Solaris, had been apart of her for years, consuming her every waking thought and persisting into her dreams even when she didn't realize it - but she wouldn't have to think about that anymore. Distantly, she wondered if that was scarier than her previous reality.

Elise drew in a deep breath, allowing it to inflate her lungs and straighten her back and square her shoulders, holding her head high as tears continued to quietly drip from the edge of her chin. Then she turned towards the doors that she knew would take them back to their reality, and walked forward with Sonic at her side, without a single doubt in her heart.

She didn't look back, and she was never certain whether she was proud of that or not.


	2. Chapter 1: Permanent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. I see it's been a while since I lasted posted something, give or take a month.  
> Probably should do something about that, so here I am! Once again! Feeling lost but now and then-
> 
> Anyway, apologies for the super long wait, things have been busy and it's not always easy to write with all this stress. But seeing as how I'm definitely not going anywhere any time soon, I may as well get some writing done and treat you lovely people to some more of this story!  
> Remember how the tags said that Maria, despite not really being an active character in this storyline and also dead for like fifty years, was going to get character development? Well, I'm here to deliver, and deliver I shall.  
> Also, as a side note: I am eternally stuck in imagining all the characters in the style from the Sonic Movie, and this fanfiction shall reflect that. Why? Because I do what I want, and Movie Sonic is baby, and you know damn well the rest of them are gonna be baby, too.
> 
> Alright, now that that's over and done with, I give you this!

######  **Space Colony ARK, 1957**

Time was something of a construct in space. It was always difficult to tell the exact hour, and watching the Earth rotate (or watching themselves rotate around it), an activity that many inhabitants of the ARK had taken a liking to, never helped anything. Clocks - running on Empire City time - were the primary resource for signifying the passing of one hour after the other, constantly giving the cue for ends-of-shifts and starts-of-shifts, breaks, and the ever-welcome depths of night, even though the night was constant in the ARK as it lay in the shadow of the Earth.

The clocks were also what told Maria that it was well past her expected bedtime while others stayed up until the sun rose on the planet down below, but they did nothing to taunt her as she and Shadow tip-toed their way through dark metal corridors, illuminated only by the small flashlight in her grasp and the occasional glow from still-lit labs where researchers and doctors and agents were undoubtedly working on projects she would never hear about for fear that they would frighten her into sleeplessness. She gave a soft, quiet laugh at the thought, knowing she had encountered far scarier things than anything they could show her, and padded lightly down the hall with Shadow, who was trying his best to match her light steps, following closely behind her in only his socks and gloves, rings firmly attached at both wrists and ankles. The two prepared themselves as they came to the open doorway of one of the labs - dimly lit but clearly still in use - and Maria, flashlight now clicked off in one hand and Brownie movie camera - a gift from her grandfather - in the other, carefully peered around the corner to gaze at the white-coated backs of various doctors as they reviewed the material presented on one of the large monitors.

Her mind raced with what was it contained; what it said and what it did and what things they were working on that they would never willingly tell her, but she quickly suppressed those curious thoughts with a shake of her head, ponytail swishing across her shoulder-blades. 

She made a motion to Shadow, then quickly crept past the doorway, nearly on all fours, turning back to assure that Shadow was following her. Red eyes, reflecting the dim light of the lab through the window above them, gazed back at her from barely a foot away inquisitively, as if he had been clinging onto the pocket of her denim jeans the whole time (a habit developed in his early years with the backs of her dresses, and even the edges of her loose shirts, that Gerald was trying to get rid of) and she couldn't help but crack a smile and chuckle softly, echoed by Shadow who always found amusement in her amusement. She shushed him with a finger to her lips as they both crawled the rest of the way under the window before getting back to their feet and continuing on their way.

Shadow trailed behind Maria as she led the way through the darkness, trusting her for guidance as he remained oblivious to their intended destination. She had come to him with the idea the day before, presenting it to him as he read one of her childhood books, Alice In Wonderland, saying that there was something she wanted to see and that she was sure he would want to see as well. Always willing to follow wherever she went, Shadow had agreed, remaining in the dark about Maria's plans.

They should both be in bed, he knew they should, but the itching curiosity in the back of his head was too much even for him. And when Maria had shaken him awake from one of his naps not long ago with her hair tied back and her camera in hand, Shadow knew it was his cue to be excited. Just as long as she didn't make him step on another banana peel for one of her experiments... 

They rounded another corner, Maria constantly checking down the halls and Shadow tweaking his ears to listen for any unwelcome guests to their little adventure, and Maria bounced abruptly in excitement before scampering over to one of the many doors lining the hall perpendicular to them. Shadow, caught off guard by her sudden reaction, stayed where he was, cautious of the possibility of being discovered, and watched as Maria examined the door and the area around it before she looked back in his direction, beckoning him over to her. Casting a glance down both ends of the hallway, the dark hedgehog scurried across the floor to stand at Maria's side once again. As she hummed a quiet, rhythmic tune to herself - likely as a form of memorization, he concluded, once he saw her counting on her fingers on the beat - Shadow tried to pinpoint whether or not he recognized this particular door. It looked the same as most of the other doors within the facility, and he couldn't recall ever being lead down this exact route when being taken for training or more experiments; granted, it was somewhat difficult to tell where they were due to the darkness, but he, as the Ultimate Lifeform, knew he would probably recognize it anyway if he had been led down it before.

"Maria, where are we going?" he asked.

"You'll see," she giggled softly, an excitable edge to her voice as she carefully typed a code into the keypad on the right-hand side of the door. Right above it, he noticed a dull silver plaque with black letters engraved into it: 

**AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY**

"Should we even be doing this?" he asked, glancing down the hall once again before looking back at her.

Maria paused, her soft fingers freezing just above the keypad, considering his words. The silence was, for once, uncomfortable, but the feeling ended as quickly as it came as Maria looked down at him with a reassuring smile.

"Well, no," she said, "We _shouldn't_ be doing this." She winked at him then, shrugging her shoulders cheekily. "But that's never stopped us before, now has it?"

Shadow stopped to think about that as Maria went back to entering numbers into the keypad. No, the thought of whether or not they should be doing something had never stopped them in their pursuits before - it had certainly never stopped _Maria_ before, even when they inevitably got caught and scolded by Gerald; however, the Doctor could never stay mad at Maria for long, and Maria, ever the charmer, took full advantage of that to waive off any punishment should she could be given and assure that Shadow was never blamed for her perceived recklessness, either. So he shrugged to himself, knowing she had a point.

"Got it!" Maria whispered triumphantly, hearing the soft click of the lock unhitching and slowly pulling the door open by the handle, carefully, so that it would not creak on its large, well-used hinges. Shadow ducked under Maria's arm to head inside ahead of her, finding himself facing a dimly-lit open stairwell, with depth unknown to him, even as he peered through the railing towards the seemingly endless square spiral below of grated landings and stairs below. Maria closed the door behind them and gently tapped his shoulder, signaling him to follow her.

The two descended the stairwell, Maria taking the steps nearly two at a time and looking more lively than Shadow ever usually saw her, her flashlight now stuck into the pocket of her jeans but her camera still held up to record - she loved recording things whenever she could, as well as taking as many pictures as possible whenever the opportunity presented itself. When he had asked her about it, she had said that while she may not be permanent (a thought he never liked to think about) her memories would be, and that recording those memories solidified the fact that they happened. Not necessarily for herself, but for others, if her grandfather's plans to help her didn't work. 

Maria twisted slightly so that the camera was now pointing at Shadow, and he stared the lens down for a few seconds before Maria spoke.

"So, _Shadow_ , Ultimate Lifeform and best friend in the world," Maria announced for effect, "How many of my grandfather's _other_ creations have you seen or heard about before?"

Shadow shrugged, turning his gaze back towards the stairs in front of them.

"Not many," he said, "the Doctor makes sure that I'm kept away from most of the others, so I don't know what many of them are."

"What about any of the restricted experiments?" Maria asked, "As in the ones who were put off-limits from everyone else in the ARK."

Shadow raised an eyebrow at that, confused at her question.

"I've been told about some of them, I think," he said, wracking his brain, "but the Doctor always said they weren't important to my training, so I shouldn't bother myself with thinking about them."

Maria giggled, her laugh ringing beautifully off the metal walls of the staircase, and lowered the camera slightly so that it wasn't pointed directly at him anymore.

"Grandfather _really_ should tell you more," she said, smiling at him, "after all, you _are_ the Ultimate Lifeform."

Unexpected and sudden heat rose into his cheeks and the tips of his ears, forcing him to avert his eyes and press his mouth into a thin line, though not necessarily out of displeasure. Maria laughed even harder at that, shaking her head fondly.

It was only a moment later that Shadow finally clued into everything Maria had said, everything she had been talking about, and all of the messages indicating that they _definitely_ weren't supposed to be there - more so than most other areas of the ARK. She had asked him if he had been told about any of Gerald's _other_ creations, and then if he had been told about the _restricted_ ones - the ones that always caused shadows of something dark to cross Gerald's face every time they were mentioned, every time he thought about them. The ones that had been locked away from all but the most specific personnel, for reasons kept far away from his ears as well as Maria's. 

He remembered the plaque above the door, engraved with bold black letters, and immediately stopped in his tracks halfway down one of the many flights of steps. 

"Are we going to the restricted experiments wing?" he asked, bringing Maria to a halt almost as soon as the words left his mouth, one foot hovering just above the landing below them. He saw her slim shoulders tense, the hand gripping the railing tightening until the knuckles were nearly as white as the snow in their storybooks before relaxing just as quickly. The tenseness in her posture was gone almost as soon as it came, and she turned around to face him, a smiling apology on her face. 

"What gave it away?" she asked guiltily.

"You _know_ we're not supposed to be down here," Shadow insisted, ears twitching at his sudden hyperawareness of the situation, "We could get in trouble for this! _Actual_ trouble."

Maria did her best to smile reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Shadow, we won't get in trouble," she insisted in turn, "Grandfather definitely won't be _happy_... but he won't be mad for long! He never is when it comes to us."

That was true, he knew it was. The doctor loved Maria dearly, more than anyone else in his life - but he wondered exactly how far that love could extend when it came to something like _this_ \- something that was personal and burdensome enough to account never speaking about it or letting anyone else speak about it. Maria was always able to get them out of trouble, no matter what sort of mischief they got up to around the facility, but Shadow wasn't certain that that would work this time around - not with the restricted section that Gerald had taken great take to hide away his most hated creations in. And judging from the slight tremor in Maria's voice and her wavering reassurance, she wasn't quite so certain either.

"Maria, I don't think-"

" _Please_ , Shadow?" Maria begged, the smile leaving her face and her eyes wide with a kind of desperation Shadow had never seen on her face, "I _really_ want to show you what's down there... and I know we're not even supposed to be up, but I need you to trust me on this. I _promise_ we'll only be down there for a few minutes, and then we can go back upstairs and... if someone sees us, we can pretend we got lost on our way to the kitchen," she laughed as she said it, as though finding the image amusing in her mind. A small, wary smile crossed Shadow's face because her amusement was often his and he could see the aforementioned situation unfold in his mind just as it had many times before in one of their other excursions.

But it was _still_ his job to keep her safe.

Seeing the turnings of his mind, one small, uncalloused hand reached out to him, palm facing upwards. "Just _trust me_ , Shadow. Okay?" He was silent as Maria stared at him in earnest, her bluer-than-blue eyes and outstretched hand, waiting to be connected with another, pleading silently with him to give her a chance, to _take a chance_ , to _trust_ her.

And, of course, no matter if it went against all of his better judgment and everything he was told, he always would.

Gently, Shadow placed his gloved hand in hers, lithe fingers with carefully filed nails instinctively wrapping around it from years of holding hands nearly everywhere they went - another habit Gerald was trying to get rid of. Bringing his gaze up to look her in the eye, he nodded, resolute.

"Okay."

As he jumped down the rabbit hole for her, Maria's smile was enough to make it all worth it.

The two of them were off again as if nothing had happened, and, before Shadow knew it, they were stopped on the landing that Maria had been looking for, roughly ten flights below the main deck, the blonde girl examining the door and the keypad that rested on the wall beside it.

"Here, hold this," she said, handing her camera to Shadow, who took it without complaint and awkwardly adjusted it so that it was facing towards Maria as she hummed quietly to herself once again, counting her fingers to whatever beat she had come up with.

Shadow watched fondly as she did so, admiring Maria and her genius - practically mandatory of all Robotniks - as she went over the formula in her head a third, fourth, fifth time, examing the keys in front of her before hovering her fingers over them, tapping but not pressing on them.

Shadow looked around at the gunmetal grey walls, at the bulkhead lights that illuminated each landing and parts of the stairs themselves, at the metal grating beneath their feet which was - admittedly - quite uncomfortable to stand on in socks. But he supposed that the people who had designed it assumed that those walking on it would be wearing shoes. He couldn't say that he had ever seen this place before, nor any similar architecture within the ARK - none that he could remember, anyway. He had always been told never to question what was behind locked doors that had nothing to do with him or his purpose, which included most doors throughout the ARK, so he never asked about them. He had never bothered to ask them about his "purpose" either and wondered whether they would tell him.

"Have you been down here before, Maria?" he asked, looking back to her as he thought about how she had known exactly where this place was.

"Well..." she started, pausing in her endeavors and looking over her shoulder at him with a guilty smile, "no... I haven't. But I've heard grandfather and the other researchers talking about it before." she shrugged, eyes looking up and to the side, " _And_ I've seen some videos and pictures when I've been sneaking around sometimes. But I've never actually been down here before, so..." she smiled brightly at him, "it's as new to me as it is to you!"

"But then how do you know the codes for the doors?" he asked, "And how do you know that what we're looking for is actually down here?"

Maria giggled, and tapped him on the top of the head a few times with one finger, making his ears unconsciously attempt to bat her away.

"I'm a _Robotnik_ , Shadow!" she said, head held high with one hand on her hip, "And us Robotnik's think alike! At least... grandfather and I do, anyway."

Shadow nodded along with her. He supposed that made sense - not everyone knew it, but Maria was just as smart as the Doctor was, if not smarter. She didn't tend to showcase it for others, nor did they ever give her a chance to, but she was smart - smarter than most gave her credit for.

"Aaaannnd he's not exactly careful about where he leaves his notes all the time. Or his _passwords_ , for that matter..."

As she mumbled on about how Gerald ought to set up a documentation system for himself, Shadow smiled.

Before long, the door was open, and Maria gratefully took her camera back as she ushered him in ahead of her. Stepping into comfortably warm air, Shadow barely heard the clicking of the door as Maria closed it, far too distracted by what was now standing before his eyes. There was the soft tapping of flat shoes and a soft, breathless gasp from behind him, mimicking his own internal response.

They were standing at one end of a long room, similar to the halls on the upper floors of the ARK, but with open walls guarded by safety rails and fiberglass - multi-layered from what he could tell -, giving the illusion that they were standing on a bridge, despite that the floors were solid beneath them and not grated like they usually would be on suspended platforms. The illusory bridge was lined with various machines, from control panels and monitors to things that neither of them could decipher the exact functions for - between them all was an aisle for them to walk down, Maria's flat shoes tapping softly against the metal under their feet, and Shadow's socks not making a sound, very unlike his usual rocket shoes which tended to be loud against the floors with his sensitive ears. But what caught their attention the most was what rested behind the railings and fiberglass - dozens upon dozens of test tubes, laid out in even rows and all nearly identical to each other, most filled with chemical solutions and wires while others remained empty and bare. But the ones that were filled were filled to the brim, giving off an eerie lime-green glow that Shadow remembered all too well from whenever he would open his eyes within his developmental capsule only a year and a half prior, and each contained some sort of creature, some type of mass, machine, amalgamations that neither of them could put a name to. One thing Shadow was certain of, though, is that, in some way, they all looked similar - though they were vastly different, it was still easy to tell that they were all cut from matching fabric.

And while the tubes they resided in looked remarkably similar, perhaps even identical, to his own capsule, they certainly looked _nothing_ like him. Not even close.

Making his way over to one side of the room, a hand placed weightlessly against the glass that separated them from the creatures within, Shadow studied every one that he could see, scarlet eyes carefully roving over the specimens on display yet hidden away from the rest of the world at Gerald's command. If _these_ were the restricted experiments, he couldn't say he understood why - there didn't seem to be anything overly remarkable about any of them. Some were less than appealing to look at, some of them were small, some were large, some looked mechanical and some looked organic while others seemed to be a hybrid of the two. But while this was so, half of them were barely formed, incomplete, and a few were almost entirely formless. Were these really what the Doctor had always been so reluctant to speak of? What he had harbored so much regret over? Ashamed of enough to degrade them to this lonely dwelling beneath the main floors of the ARK?

"What are they?" he asked so quietly that he was almost surprised when Maria responded.

"I'm not entirely sure," she said, a bit further down the aisle away from him, camera poised to take in everything as a third eye, "but, from what I've gathered... I think some of them were supposed to be prototypes of _you_."

"Of me?" Shadow looked away from the glass and towards his friend, who studied everything around her with the same methodical prowess that he always saw in Gerald.

"None of them were successful, obviously," she shrugged, an unreadable expression on her face "not the way Grandfather _wanted_ them to be. Some of them, from what I've heard, were seen as too dangerous to even be let out of their capsules. And most of the ones they _did_ let out, couldn't survive outside of them. Not for long, anyway. So... here they are."

Too dangerous...

Shadow turned his gaze back towards his apparent stillborn predecessors, contemplating Maria's words. If they were all supposed to be prototypes of him, then... why did _he_ look so different from the rest of them? The capsules before him all contained creatures with flat, elongated jaws and noses, wide nostrils and eyes on the sides of their heads, or long bodies with short legs meant to keep themselves close to the ground, or tails nearly as long as the rest of them and bright scales that reflected the light of the fluids they rested in - those were the ones that had corporeal forms, at least.

The hedgehog wandered over to the other side, examining the test tubes in earnest, and discovering that they were all very similar to the ones on the other side. Scaly, elongated faces, small sideways eyes, long bodies, even longer tails... and there _he_ was. With none of those things, but, apparently, the culmination of all of them.

"Were they _all_ supposed to be me?" Shadow asked Maria, watching as the blonde tried to get one of the monitors to work, only to come up empty-handed.

"I think some of them were," she said, glancing at him, "I don't know about _all_ of them... Grandfather had been determined to create the Ultimate Lifeform for nearly as long as I can remember. He was always doing so much research, looking for anything that could give him clues to creating something that was not only virtually invulnerable but could also, potentially, make others invulnerable as well. He conducted _endless_ tests and experiments - sometimes he even let me watch! But... none of them ever worked."

_None of them ever worked_.

So then why did he?

Shadow watched as Maria wandered away from the monitor she had been fiddling with, looking around at all of the failed creatures surrounding them. She shrugged her slim shoulders, a small smile on her face.

"All of these creatures may have been created to try and help the world..." she pondered aloud, "They were meant to be saviors - something that humanity could towards as... symbols of hope, I suppose. But there's no doubt that a lot of them would've likely caused more harm than good. So, I think it's a good thing that they're down here if nothing else. They may have been unsuccessful, but..." Maria turned her bright smile on him, "they lead to _you_."

_They lead to you_.

"Was I _really_ the only one that worked?" Shadow asked, moving to join his friend where she stood further down the hall.

Maria pursed her lips and looked to the side, brows furrowed in thought. She was silent for a moment, a shadow of something briefly crossing her face before disappearing as she looked back down at him.

"Well... I _think_ I remember Grandfather once talking about a successful experiment a long time ago... I was much younger, and it was before you were around. It may have been a prototype of the Ultimate Lifeform - an early version of Project Shadow - but," she shrugged, shaking her head, loose hairs brushing gently across her cheeks, "I don't know much about it."

"An early version?" Shadow echoed, eyes wide in curiosity and confusion.

Maria nodded.

"I used to ask my Grandfather about it," she looked sheepish a moment, "about _a lot_ of things, really... but he always said it was," Maria brought two fingers of one hand up in bunny ears as she rolled her eyes, "' too scary ' for me."

Shadow breathed a small huff of amusement at that. Despite what Gerald liked to insist on the other researchers and doctors in the facility, Maria was _anything_ but easily scared.

" _But_ ," Maria said slowly, tapping her index finger against the side of her pale cheek, "I do remember some diagrams from when I used to peek into the labs to see what they were working on. I could never see much, but... it looked like some type of big lizard."

"Big lizard?" he echoed again, tilting his head as confusion once more wracking his brain.

...

What was a lizard?...

"I think Grandfather did a lot of experiments with you in mind," Maria continued, wandering further down the illusory bridge, "I can't exactly say how he went from lizards to a _hedgehog_ , though. It's not _exactly_ a jump you'd normally to make."

Oh, so _those_ were lizards. 

Shadow supposed that made sense. He didn't expect Maria to have all the answers he was looking for - she was amazing and amazingly smart, but she was still young, and nobody was typically inclined to explain complicated diagrams and equations and formulas to the sickly granddaughter of Doctor Gerald Robotnik.

Still... he wanted to understand, even if he wasn't sure what understanding meant for him. He could see now why Maria had wanted to show him this place - so that he could see all of the creations that came before him, whether they had been prototypes of him or not, to hopefully answer some of the questions that he had never asked but which she knew were constantly bubbling in his mind.

But, now, he had more questions than he had started with. A twinge of guilt pricked at his chest, wondering if that meant he didn't appreciate Maria's efforts enough. He appreciated them, more than he could ever express, and the information that surrounded him was more than he could have ever possibly asked for. So why was he even more confused than before?

The silence between them permeated the air, growing as Shadow had nothing left to say and Maria no more of his questions to pursue the answers for. The girl glanced around her again at the sights that she had already studied throughout the last several minutes, and she subconsciously picked at the corner of her thumbnail as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She was used to silences between them, but the ones she was used to were comfortable. Shadow was a creature of few words and tended to sit and observe rather than speak what was on his mind, content to listen to her soft ramblings of environmental science as he completed equations in Math & Science Practice books, his eyes avert but his ears present and twitching. Sometimes, they would read together, or draw, or listen to old records that Maria had been gifted by her grandfather over the years, spending hours without saying a thing, and both perfectly content to be as they were. _That_ was the silence she was used to with Shadow.

Not this kind.

Not there was anything necessarily _bad_ about it, it was just... unsettling.

Though, she supposed, that maybe it wasn't the _silence_ that was getting to her.

Wracking her brain, she cast her eyes around the area to look for something, anything, that could be of interest. They had come here to explore, after all, and, while she didn't think it was likely that it would happen very soon, it was only a matter of time before someone realized that she and Shadow weren't in her room and Gerald had half of the facility searching for them. And, after all, she _had_ brought Shadow down here to answer some of the questions that, she knew, were constantly brewing in his head even if he never spoke them - to, perhaps, answer some questions that _she_ had always had but which she knew she would never receive the answers to from the people that constantly milled about and spoke to her as if she was just some little kid wrapped up in something she didn't understand. Which, in a sense, she supposed she was and had been before, but she didn't like to think about that.

Maria's eyes wandered to the far side of the room, opposite to where they had entered, and saw that there was very clearly a door there - no keypad or card reader in sight - leading to another part of the restricted areas. If these creatures had been kept down here for a long time, it should be only logical that there would be some sort of information and records on them in the same area, right?

Keep everything together with where and what it belongs - something her Grandfather occasionally recited to others but didn't always follow himself. With any luck, the people who had moved the specimens down here followed it by heart or at least had the sense to keep the appropriate records and materials where they needed to be.

Resolutely, she nodded to herself, bending down slightly and taking Shadow's gloved hand in hers while she continued to hold her camera in the other, and gently pulled him along the aisle towards the opposite end of the room.

"Come on, Shadow, there's another room!" she announced brightly, "Maybe we can find some answers around here."

"I really think we should go back up before anyone realizes we're down here..." Shadow said, a tense edge to his voice, "You said we'd only be a few minutes and then we'd go back, and it's _been_ a few minutes."

"Just a few more, I promise!" she said, looking back at him over her shoulder, giving him her most convincing wink, "Then we can go back upstairs and pretend like we _didn't_ stay up past bedtime to sneak into the restricted sections of the ARK."

"Technically it's _your_ bedtime, not mine..."

"And yet here we are, after a year and a half, and you _still_ go to bed whenever I do."

"It's practical," Shadow shrugged as they both came to a stop at the far end of the hall, Maria placing her hand on the handle of the door and pushing, feeling the slightest bit of give, "I'm usually supposed to stay by your side, so it makes sense."

Maria hooded her eyes slightly, raised an eyebrow, and gave him a smug upward quirk of her lips.

"Sure, Shadow," she deadpanned amusingly, "whatever helps you sleep at night."

She then dug her feet into the metal flooring and pressed her shoulder and arm against the door as hard as she could manage. She nearly fell as the door swung open, suddenly blasted with a wave of humidity that almost made her choke on her own in-breath. The door creaked loudly on poorly oiled hinges as it swung open, making both her and Shadow wince in discomfort, the hedgehog's ears flattening against his head and his nose scrunching up briefly. If it was grating to _her_ ears, she couldn't imagine how it was for Shadow. Shaking herself back to awareness, and bracing herself against the heat that berated them, Maria took Shadow by the hand and lead him into the room.

The room that was standing before them now was far different from the previous one - it was egg-shaped, from what Maria could tell, with them standing at the wider end. At the narrower end were windows positioned several meters above the floor, looking into an observation chamber; it was dark inside, with only the dim glow of what she assumed footlights - commonly used in observation chambers for when light had been restricted for optimal viewing - reflecting off of the metallic floor. Looking around, Maria was excited to find that there were more capsules with creatures in them, embedded into the wall, with a 4, in total, standing on their own around the edges of the room - those, however, we're empty of both specimen and fluid, leaving them decidedly hollow. Several doors lined the far side of the room, none of them with apparent security measures to be one - one of them, from what Maria could tell, seemed to potentially lead up into the observation chamber.

Her camera was held close to her head, trying to get as realistic of a point of view as she could of the room as she gazed and ventured with wonder at things she had only seen in her dreams. She noted that the ceiling was very tall, with threes whirring fans at the top for a thin bit of ventilation; however, they did a poor job of relieving the permeating humidity, which was starting to make her clothes feel uncomfortably tight and the base of her neck unfortunately sticky - being in the cold, sterile, well-ventilated halls of the ARK for at least half of her life, she wasn't quite used to the type of humidity this room hand. Upon further inspection, she noted a section of the wall, not too far above the line where the glass of the capsules ended, was a row of what looked to be flat, long ceiling lights, but Maria quickly recognized them for what they more likely were: infrared lights. The red part of the lights was only faintly visible, so they couldn't be at a particularly high setting; Maria briefly dreaded the idea of being in the room when the lights were on full volume considering how hot it already was. Then again, it was always possible that the chamber hadn't been used in for some time and the humidity had simply built up, despite the ventilation in the ceiling.

But then, she thought to herself, wasn't heat naturally supposed to rise? Therefore, shouldn't the position they were at be much cooler than it was? Unless, of course, that meant that it was even hotter at the top of-

"How many more of them are there?" 

Maria jumped at the sudden interruption of her thoughts and turned around to where Shadow was gazing at the failed experiments that lined the wall, barred from them once again by multiple thin layers of fiberglass. If Shadow was at all bothered by the humidity, he didn't show it. But he certainly looked fluffier than normal, so she supposed there was that.

He looked back at her over his shoulder, his hands pressed to the glass in front of him, and eyes wide with... something - something she couldn't exactly name.

All Maria could do was shrug.

"I don't know, Shadow," she said softly, eyes wandering around the chamber they stood in, "Grandfather always liked to keep busy, whenever he could. And he was _greatly_ determined to see Project Shadow come to fruition. I never even knew most of these _existed_ \- the only creations of his I've ever known about were the Gizoid, Heal Unit... and you."

Shadow hummed at that, slowly looking away from her and back to the catatonic creatures before him, his socked feet tapping soundlessly against the flooring as he wandered along the line of them.

Maria pressed her lips into a thin line and sighed heavily through her nose, knowing that she wasn't much help. She didn't like to see Shadow this solemn - he was always quiet and rather serious, but it was always in an endearing way true to his nature, and it was even funny at times. Now, he was as she'd seen him a few times before when she had found him alone, gazing at the Earth from afar, seeming so close but just out of their reach in a way that always pained her no matter what she said to assure him that she was hopeful to see it one day, soft grass beneath her feet instead of cold mental and playful breezes against her skin instead of stoic ventilation.

She sighed, knowing that she didn't like seeing Shadow like this because, in a way, she thought she understood. Even if she could never fully decipher what was going on inside his head.

Quietly, she turned her attention back towards the observation chamber visible through the windows of the room and tried to follow its layout from where she stood to the most probable door that would lead it to it. In the end, she decided to try all of them, but found that they were all locked and would not open no matter what way she pulled or pushed or how much force she used to try - which, admittedly, wasn't all that much given her size and mediocre health. While they didn't have any security measures from her side, it was always likely that they had some on the other, leaving them stuck in the small area they had found and unable to venture further into the depths of her Grandfather's regrets. She let out a frustrated huff, briefly puffing out her warm cheeks in a pout, before letting go of the handle of the door she had been trying to open and picking up her camera again from beside her.

"You know," Maria thought aloud, trying to sound upbeat and not as frustrated and cheated as she actually was, "I never thought I'd ever get the chance to see the restricted experiments section. I always wondered what else could be down here, but... Grandfather never wanted to tell me, and so neither did anyone else," she shrugged gently, looking down towards the tips of her flat pink shoes, "I guess I can understand why..." She paused, and then shook her head slightly, pulling herself out of her thoughts. Blue eyes and a warm smile turned towards her friend, who had wandered away from the glass for the time being to further investigate the room. "What do _you_ think of it, Shadow?"

If it meant getting him to talk to her, to break the silence that scratched at her nerves, she would ask - maybe she could understand what was going on in that head of his.

"It's interesting," Shadow replied, wayward gaze wandering instead of meeting hers, "it just... makes me question some things."

And there it was.

Maria's eyes softened as she tilted her head inquisitively.

"What sort of things?"

For a moment, Shadow didn't say anything, ears twitching gently atop his head and bottom lip pulled ever so slightly under his top one - a habit he had picked up from her. She waited patiently, face kind and open, silently encouraging him to speak.

"It's just..." he began slowly, "I've thought about my purpose and what exactly it is a lot - usually around you when we're alone, obviously. And I've never been certain what exactly it is." He looked at her, his face open and nearly unreadable to all except her, "I know I'm supposed to help since that's what the Doctor always tells me is important; to make sure you get better and protect you. But... there's a lot of people, doctors and researchers and all of them, who act like there's more to it than that. They've never said it to me, and the Doctor never has either, but I know they all think it, and I don't know _why_. I don't understand what purpose I could have outside of helping you get better."

At that, Maria exhaled, letting her posture slump slightly, tired eyes fixating on the floor and expression dimming in a way that didn't instantly disappear. Quietly, she shook her head, looking back up at Shadow.

"Shadow..." she began gently, her voice coming out in a soft breath, "I'm not exactly everyone's main priority. Not everyone cares about me the way you and Grandfather do."

Shadows head tilted at that, face scrunching up slightly in baffled confusion.

"Well, that's absurd," he stated, "why would anyone not care about you? You're amazing."

A gentle laugh escaped her, shaking her shoulders and making her forget about the near-stifling humidity around her, cheeks warming further in appreciation.

"Thank you, Shadow," she giggled, "I appreciate it, really. But... as far as I know, Grandfather was given Project Shadow to work on by someone else - someone far more powerful than him, who probably doesn't even know that I exist. And even if they did? It's not likely that they would care very much about Gerald Robotnik's sick little granddaughter." She continued before Shadow could interrupt at the statement, "And whoever that person is... they would have had some other reason for wanting you created. And... as much as I wish I could help, I _really_ don't know what that purpose is."

Shadow's gaze trodded downward towards the floor, his fingers lightly twitching in time with small flicks of his ears. She could see the disappointment in his small movements, even if he wouldn't voice it.

"I still don't get why none of them look like me," he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear, as he looked back towards the creations in the wall.

Maria shrugged apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I don't know either," she said, "As I said, I'm not sure how exactly Grandfather went from lizards to a hedgehog. But, if it helps, I know that lizards can regenerate limbs! So it was probably a logical place to start, anyway."

Shadow raised an eyebrow at her; she fought to stifle a laugh at his endearing confusion.

"I don't think I can do that..."

"Maybe we should try it out sometime! And if you can't, well, you don't really need a tail, anyway."

"What, no...!"

"I'm _kidding_!" Maria's giggles echoed off the room's walls, and Shadow took to pouting with a pursed mouth. The look didn't take long to fade, and his eyes, once more, went back to the capsules lining the wall and looked distantly towards the illusory bridge they had just come from, where countless more of them resided, filled with creatures that would never see the light of day.

Maria watched him, her chest tight and gut heavy, brow damp with perspiration at the uncomfortable heat around her, and she let the arm holding the camera lower slightly.

"It really bothers you, doesn't it?" she pressed gently.

...

"I've... I've never asked Gerald before. I think that maybe I should have, but... somehow, I don't feel like he would give me an answer."

Maria nodded. That was fair. Her Grandfather was a great man, and a very kind man, capable of fantastical creations as well as the gentle nature to nurture them. But he worried a lot, about her and Shadow, about a lot of things that he would never voice to her, not wanting to trouble her any more than she already was in daily life - by extension, he likely also didn't want to trouble Shadow with something he felt the hedgehog wasn't ready for. The two of them were attached at the hip, and she was the one Shadow spoke to about... everything. When he felt like talking, that is. By not burdening Shadow with something, he also wasn't burdening _her_ with something that he didn't want her to worry about, no matter if the reality was different from his viewpoint or not. It was the way her Grandfather was - after spending her whole life with him, she knew how he worked. Against her better judgment, she didn't blame Shadow for not wanting to ask if it may inevitably end in disappointment.

"You said there was another one that worked, right?" 

Maria jumped, letting go of the collar of her shirt that she had been using for a moment to gently fan herself, gazing at Shadow with wide eyes.

"Huh?"

"Before," he clarified, looking at her in earnest, "you said you once heard the Doctor talking about an experiment that may have worked before I did - that it was some sort of... lizard, or something. And that it could have been an early version of me."

Had she said that? Well, yes, she supposed she had, in trying to answer the questions that she didn't have any concrete answers for no matter how much it bothered her. She _had_ said it, but...

"Well, Shadow..."

"Are you positive you don't know anything about it?" he asked, "About what _it_ was for? What it's purpose was? Are you sure you don't know anything?"

"Shadow, I'm sorry, I _really_ don't," Maria shook her head, pained at her friend's gentle desperation and wanting nothing more than to make him feel better but she didn't know _how_ , she never knew _how_ , "If I knew, I _would_ tell you, but it's been a lot of years, I don't _remember_ anything else!"

Shadow stared at her in confusion, and suddenly the room was silent for the steady pounding in her ears.

"What...?"

"I _don't_ remember anything, I haven't seen it since-" she stopped, voice petering out until there was nothing.

Nothing but the sound of her heart beating in her chest and her head and her teeth and when had that started?

( _she shouldn't be here_ )

"Not since..." she echoed, unsure of who she was echoing, staring off into nothing as her vision swam and jumbled before her eyes, and why was it so hot?

"Maria?"

( _they had told her not to come here, but-_ )

"Maria, are you okay?" he sounded worried. Who was he again?

( _why was it so hot?_ )

Footsteps - the distant pounding of footsteps, and a pulling inside her throat that came out in a faraway cough, followed by another, and another, and-

"Maria, someone's coming."

( _"MARIA!"_ )

All at once, Maria lurched forward, overtaken by the force of the coughing fit that wracked her body, falling to her knees, something falling from her hand and tumbling away from her.

( _roaring, from somewhere, everywhere, all around_ )

" _Maria?!_ "

( _shouting - from them_ )

She shook, head pounding, chest tight, coughing uncontrollably until she couldn't breathe and why was it so-

( _screaming - from her_ )

"Maria! It'll be okay, it-"

( _"-will all be okay."_ )

The camera stopped rolling.

~~~*~~~

######  **Space Colony ARK, 2017**

The video stopped playing, the static damage carried over from the camera it had originated from frozen on the tablet screen, forever etched into reality as it had been documented.

Shadow's gloved hands gently gripped the side of the device, half-hooded eyes impossible to read and staring wordlessly at the frozen picture in front of him. His thumb gently brushed against the smooth surface, as it trying to hold onto something from so long ago that he could no longer touch Rouge stood beside him where he sat in one of the chairs in the main research lab of the ARK, waiting for him to move and noting the tenseness in his posture that he himself didn't seem to take notice of, too caught up in his own head, in the looking glass that he could not walk through to the other side.

Silence filled the room as the last bits of audio faded away into nothing, broken only by the metallic and mechanical whirs of Omega shifting wordlessly on the other side of the room, and Olive's quiet, gentle hums from where she sat on the control board, observing quietly and carefully. Looking in Omega's direction, she could see that he was watching them, observing them just as Olive was, entirely unreadable in his robotic nature. If Rouge didn't know any better, she would have said that he seemed... concerned.

Her gaze moved back to Shadow, who was slowly, very slowly, moving the tablet to lie flat on his lap, pulling himself gently from the cocoon of memories that had wrapped around him.

"Shadow..." she spoke softly, "are you alright?"

Perhaps it was a stupid question. Of course he wasn't alright - witnessing an age-old video of a time he had spent with his late sister that had ended in disaster wasn't something that would leave him well off once it was over. Still, she may as well ask. Either way, she wasn't great at comforting others no matter how long she had known them.

Olive - Shadow's Chao that he had adopted just under a year ago - cooed gently in the hedgehog's direction, stretching out over the small space between the chair and the control board to place her tiny nubs on the side of his face. His head tilted a bit to the side to look at her. Cooing again, Olive floated off of the control board and down into Shadow's lap, resting atop the tablet almost as if to put it out of his sight and out of his mind. Rouge wouldn't be surprised if that _were_ , in fact, the case - Olive was a Service Chao, having originally belonged to a late G.U.N soldier, and she was quite the clever little thing.

The Chao extended her tiny arms toward the hedgehog in question, a small smile on her little face, scooching herself closer to Shadow's body over the tablet. It took a moment, but he slowly brought up both hands to support her back and pat her on the head, a barely-visible smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. Making a happy noise, Olive pressed her head further into Shadow's hand, before gently moving forward to hug his torso and rub her head into his white chest fur as a form of comfort. Shadow hadn't ever been very touch-oriented, but he didn't try to push Olive away or pull away from her.

A soft sigh escaped Rouge's painted-pink lips, her breath coming out in a thin cloud of fog in the cool air of the ARK, and gently placed a hand atop Shadow's head, just behind one of his ears that she had never seen twitch and emote as much as they obviously used to, long before she had ever known him.

"It's okay, kid," she whispered, and she wasn't quite sure if she believed that, but she'd let herself think that she did for the time being - lying to herself was one of the few things that made her feel better about difficult situations, and, more than that, it made others feel better as well, even if they didn't believe it either. She supposed that summed up a lot of her life - a lot of Shadow's life as well, along with nearly everyone she knew. Most of all, she believed it had made up the very foundation of Maria's life, even if she had never known her outside of stories and documents. The hope that she would get better from a disease that no one ever got better from, told time and again that the Ultimate Life Form - Project Shadow - would be the key to assuring her prolonged life and safety. But Maria, from what Rouge could tell, had been a very smart girl - she had always known that was a lie, even if no one else did.

None of them spoke or made a sound for a long time, basking uncomfortably in the uneasy silence of the ARK with its sterile walls and haunted corridors, replaying memories that few people were still alive to remember, the documented memories of a sickly, willful little girl still fresh and festering in their minds - proof that they had happened and that she had existed. She may not have been permanent, had never even had a chance, but her memories were - just as she would've wanted. Just, Rouge supposed, not like this. Never like this.

And if someone else, somewhere, in a far off time, happened to be watching the exact, forever-enduring memories of life hardly lived?

Well... nothing needed to be said about that, now did there?


	3. Chapter 2: Who Are You?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I know it's been a solid five months. And no, I cannot explain.  
> But, either way, I'm here now! Finally! With Chapter 2 of this thing that, yes, I am still working on despite my extended absence.  
> It was tough to finish but I did it, and I got it all nice and polished for you guys, because I may not always be the most productive by I _am_ a merciful god with big plans for this thing.  
> Anyway, basically what you need to know for this chapter as well as many things coming forward!  
> I am not an expert on politics, and it definitely shows. Regardless, I am doing my best without making it boring.  
> I am also not going to be writing out any accents that any characters may have because I suspect many of you already know what their accents sound like and don't need me to literally spell it out.  
> For reference, because you _will_ need it, this is the link to the world map that I'm using for this story: https://www.deviantart.com/majinssketchbook/art/Sonic-World-Map-748463079  
> Of course, there are some minor adjustments that I mentally made myself to fit with the way I wrote this, but, regardless, full credit goes to the MajinsSketchbook.  
> So with that all out of the way, enjoy! You've waited five months for this, and it's a long one!

There was light.

Bright, unearthly light - ethereal and terrifying, otherwordly, and powerful beyond the likes that they had ever expected. But they had revered it all the same.

Bright, otherworldly, _powerful_.

He had seen this before. _Somewhere_ before. But _where_?

"The servers-"

Standing firm, temples unhindered by time or destruction, housing a mystical power too far past their understanding.

"-are the seven Chaos."

But where did it come from?

"Chaos-"

Small, defenseless, standing far too close to what it didn't understand, morphed, transformed, ascended, into something else entirely and it-

"-is power."

Banded together, whole, far before the ruination, bowing in reverence to that enveloped in -

"Power enriched-"

Fear, screaming, crying, screaming-

Silence.

A holy embrace, the sky illuminated.

"-by the heart."

Reaching out, _desperately_ reaching out to-

"The controller-"

Standing before them, hands outstretched and surrounded by miracles, their savior.

"-is the one-"

Taking the darkness, all-encompassing, burning with blue fire consuming everything in its path, split open by burning gold.

_Don't..._

They were gone.

And there _they_ were, in a field surrounded by ethereal flowers coming from-

"-who unifies the Chaos."

He wasn't supposed to be here, yet he was welcomed - at home though it wasn't his. All the same, watching him as he finally seemed aware and turned around and-

_Don't I know you?_

A startled gasp ripped itself from Knuckles' throat as he shot up from his sleep. Gloved hands planted themselves firmly on the rough stone beneath. His gaze fixated forward, clear one moment, and blurry the next with leftover drowsiness. He blinked, and hastily cast his eyes around the area. His labored breaths puffed wisps of fog in front of his face, brought upon by altitude and temperature. Only when he saw no immediate danger would he stop to assess his surroundings and where he was.

###### Angel Island - 15 Days before the Coronation

The deep timbre of thunder rumbled all around the Island as rain droplets poured from the sky in a steady stream, wetting the stone underneath him. Several Chao - all red and dread-locked due to his extended, constant care - cooed happily, reaching to the clouds with glee. However, others were gathered around him, gazing at him with blatant concern at his startled outburst.

Knuckles smiled tiredly, taking a moment to gently pat one's head. The small thing yelped happily and reached to bring his gloved hand into a tight hug.

The other Chao cooed and fluttered around him, tilting their heads as if to ask if he was alright.

"Hey, don't worry, I'm okay," he reassured them, gently pulling his hand away and rising slowly to his feet, "Just a dream, it's alright."

As he stood, Knuckles placed a hand on his head, the beginnings of a steady throbbing festering behind his eyes and in his temples. It was unpleasant, but not unexpected. The headaches always arose as a telltale sign of the Master Emerald's influence whenever it decided to have "mystical vision hour." This didn't occur as often as others thought but still happened far too often for Knuckles' own liking.

Whatever it had been trying to say to him, though, was not as easy to decipher; it never was. 

Trying to shake off the steady pounding in his head, Knuckles turned towards the Emerald, perpetually housed in its Altar with all of its secrets and workings. Many of which were still unknown to him, even after all the years he had been here. Though, he supposed, it had never exactly been his place to question it, simply to stand guard without query or hesitation— an eternal Guardian. 

But that never kept him from wondering.

One of his gloved hands found its way to the Emerald's smooth surface, taking in the soft thrum of unimaginable power diluted to compensate for his mortal touch. He breathed deeply through his nose with closed eyes, the faint scent of ozone filling his nostrils. Then he exhaled through his mouth, the steady throbbing of his head now dissipating.

_What do you keep trying to tell me?_

The Master Emerald, of course, did not answer, and Knuckles didn't ever expect it to. It was a silent constant in the universe from an origin unknown to him, revealing to him, the Guardian, what it would whenever it deemed it necessary. To this day, Knuckles wasn't sure what exactly it deemed "necessary" or how it discerned that for itself. Still, he had learned to trust the Emerald's judgment well enough. 

If it was trying to send him a message, then it must be for a reason.

Knuckles opened his eyes as his hand slid off the smooth, pulsing surface. He briefly turned his gaze towards the rumbling sky before heading off down one of the Altar's stone staircases.

The Chao watched him go, waving him a temporary goodbye as he went to find shelter from the rain that soaked his red fur and dreadlocks and left him shivering with an annoying tenseness beneath his skin. He could trust them to guard it while he was gone, as he was never very far away. Should danger arise, the Master Emerald would alert him if it needed to.

It never took very long to get down to the Hidden Palace within Angel Island. At least, it never very long when he was using the Teleportation Orbs scattered throughout both it and the old Sky Sanctuary. Getting to Hidden Palace without them was a _much_ longer trek and not one that he was readily willing to take. 

It was always his go-to in times of more miserable weather or whenever he needed rest unexposed to the potential elements. The Chao that liked to reside within the meticulously carved and built walls never complained whenever he came down.

They certainly weren't complaining now as he made his way up the stairs, the purple and blue halls immediately filled the sound of happy chirps and soft babbles as they hurried up to him. 

"Hey there," the Echidna greeted warmly. A dozen pairs of large eyes sparkled at his arrival and nearly the same amount of arms wrapped around his legs, preventing him from moving forward. "Yeah, I know, I missed you, too."

More chirps and the soft ringing of unintelligible song, and Knuckles smiled, taking a moment to mimic their gentle sounds, which delighted them even more.

It took some coercing for them to finally let go of his legs, but he managed it with little incident, gently nudging them to go play at the small fountain they seemed to love so much. With that, Knuckles moved on towards his intended destination - the underground Altar where he had stored the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds back when Sonic and Eggman had first come upon the Island, and the large mural that adorned the hall before it.

The Guardian stopped his trek through the Palace as he came before the mural, large and daunting, carved from smooth colored stone and crystal he could never have dreamed of managing with his own hands. But he didn't need to, as it had been present long before he was born.

A towering, humanoid figure of all sharp edges and blocky stature, holding out the very Gem he was sworn to protect towards a fairy-like being surrounded in golden light, carved from blue and yellow crystal.

( _\- bowing in reverence to that enveloped in -_ )

He had always wondered about it. What it meant, why his people had created it in the first place - because he knew it was them who had created it, unlike everything else that stood around him, only due to the sheer design. It was similar to what made up every other bit of ancient architecture that remained from when the Echidna clans thrived. It had never made sense to him, and there was no one he could ask for clarity now that he was all that was left.

There was the Chaos mural, hidden within the Mystic Ruins down on the surface in a place long lost by the people above, but that hadn't served to tell him very much. He had never known of Chaos before it had broken free of the Master Emerald and wreaked havoc due to its own anger.

But maybe...

( _\- surrounded by miracles -_ )

"Seven Chaos, huh..." Knuckles said to himself, voice echoing quietly off the bright crystalline walls standing in stark contrast to the muted carved stone structures above. He tapped the side of his head as if he could somehow show the Master Emerald that he was trying to discover the secrets to its riddle.

"I guess you couldn't have bothered to be more specific, huh?" he asked aloud, feeling the gentle thrum of power that connected them, everpresent yet easy to ignore after years of living with it, "You're not giving me much to go on."

Then again, It never did. 

Knuckles sighed again, letting his shoulders slump as his purple eyes cast over the mural once more. 

To think that he had really let this and scattered memories of his childhood make him believe that Doctor was there to help.

Well... he supposed it wasn't like he had had much else to refer to.

A sharp ping resounded in his head, forcing him upright without conscious thought, reverberating from within. His vision clouded with a thick shifting fog, forming into shapes discernable only by his mind before clearing all at once, leaving him to stumble back onto his rump as vertigo quickly took hold.

The alarmed yelps of multiple Chao reached Knuckles' ears as they ran up to him, tripping on their way. Knuckles carefully shook his head and lifted himself up onto his knees to avoid another fall.

However, as he rubbed his head and groaned out a note of irritation, he knew that a fall was the least of his problems.

"What _now_?" he asked the quiet, but the quiet did not answer.

~~~

The trek back up was never a long one. Still, time was cut short as Knuckles rushed to the Master Emerald's side, ready to protect it from whatever potential threat it may have perceived.

Leaving the Emerald alone on its Altar was always risky, especially considering all of his past encounters with Eggman and treasure hunters abound. But things had changed. Sure, there was still the occasional unwelcome visitor, but Angel Island had hardly been the target of any evil schemes and disastrous plots for years. And he wasn't alone anymore, not with the Chao having made their home on his Island with him, small and a bit slow but always there and steadfast - and damn stubborn when they wanted to be.

But, as he came to the vast forest's bare edges, the moss-covered, weathered remnants of a lost civilization beginning to make themselves visible, maybe he had been too careless. Maybe he had let himself become far too lax after years of being able to leave the Island and the Emerald on its own to protect itself.

Maybe-

" _There_ you are," a familiar voice called out to him once he broke through the treeline, bringing him a stumbling halt on the cracked stone pathway leading to the Altar and forcing his eyes up towards where the Master Emerald sat - safe and sound and all in one piece. "I was beginning to wonder if you were lying about this thing having a "find my phone" function for you, or if you just didn't love me anymore."

There, leaning against the Emerald with one arm atop it, the other on her hip, and the closest thing to a shit-eating grin that she could manage, was Rouge, dressed in a noticeably more casual outfit than she had been prone to wearing in their earlier years.

...

Well then.

Maybe he should dial back on the dramatic monologues in his head centered around his own carelessness.

"Oh, it's you," he commented through his own labored breathing, making his way, much slower now, to the Altar base and climbing the steps, giving silent greetings to the Chao as they toddled in his direction.

"Gosh, you _sure_ know how to greet a lady," Rouge retorted good-naturedly, gently pushing herself away from the Master Emerald and walking to the top of the landing. She settled down on the edge and stretched the folded cartilage of her wings out behind her. Knuckles recalled someone telling him that Rouge had recently taken a liking to turtlenecks with windows in the back, and now he saw why.

"I greet you the same way every time. What are you doing here, anyway?" he asked as he settled down beside her, careful to avoid the spread of her wings. The stone was still wet and was definitely likely to soak through the bottom of Rouge's white dress pants, but, if she noticed, she didn't seem to care.

At least it wasn't raining anymore.

"Well, I'm here to steal your gem, obviously."

"Oh, ha _ha_ , very funny." Knuckles rolled his eyes. "I think we've already established that I understand sarcasm now."

"Just makin' sure," Rouge smirked, leaning back while petting a Chao that had climbed into her lap, "Have to be careful - if we leave you too long you might forget about not standing in the middle of the sidewalk again."

"Okay, that was _one_ time-"

"I'm _bugging_ ya, Knux!" Rouge laughed as she elbowed him, "I only get so many opportunities to come by here when the Island's _actually_ in orbit. I gotta make the most of it."

Knuckles huffed out a breathy laugh at that, rubbing his side for a moment as they lapsed into a peaceful silence, with only the sound of distant thunder, rustling leaves, and Chao babble to accompany them.

It was true - Angel Island's orbit path always tended to throw many people off, given as how it constantly seemed to travel at whatever speed it wished at any given time. Sometimes it would take weeks for them to pass by the Mystic Ruins. Other times, it may only take a day or so before it had moved on towards what remained of Station Square and the eastern coast of the Mobian U.Z.A.

Knuckles, with his innate connection to the Master Emerald and, by extension, the Island itself, had always been used to it, not paying much mind to how fast or slow the Island decided to travel, and only truly being thrown off when it had been grounded. Until the first time, he had never gotten any visitors and had never been concerned with how others would be confused or affected by the Island's path.

But times were different now - he had friends. Friends who actually liked to visit him and which he liked to visit whenever it was possible or when the world was in immediate danger. Though he definitely preferred more peaceful visits such as this one.

"You didn't answer my question," he said.

"Huh?"

"About why exactly you're here."

"Do I _really_ need a reason other than wanting to spend some time with you?"

"W-well, no... I guess not..." He gently bit at the inside of his cheek. Not knowing what to say, he allowed the quiet to overtake them once again.

Somehow, he knew Rouge would be the one to break the silence, so he waited. She wasn't one for quiet visits, so the uncharacteristic content with it indicated that something as wrong. After years of knowing her and being taught about behavioral cues, he learned how to identify the signs of her different moods. He had also learned that she wasn't one to open up just because others wanted or encouraged her to - she preferred to do it on her own terms, in whatever way made her most comfortable, even if it wasn't entirely situation- or topic-appropriate.

Sure enough, a soft, tired sigh escaped her lips from beside him.

"It's work," she admitted.

"Like a job?"

"No, not a job," Rouge sighed as she continued to pet one of the red Chao around her, " Just work. Pissing me off is all."

Knuckles furrowed his brows and looked at her, confused.

"I thought you liked working for the President?"

"I _do_ like working for the President," Rouge assured him, shrugging, "dense as he can be, sometimes. It's not always easy, but the job definitely has its perks. Pretty flexible schedule, good money, and _lots_ of privileges when it comes to the higher-ups, which you can make work _real_ well for you if you know what you're doin'."

"Naturally."

"And that's all great. It's just who I have to be _associated with_ that I'm not so fond of."

"Like?"

Rouge tilted her head to look at him, a surprisingly tired tone edging her natural note of sarcasm.

"Take a wild guess."

Just like with anyone of their friends, Knuckles didn't need to. He knew well enough - they all did.

Nobody ever said it out loud - wouldn't dare to lest they risk their associations that, if nothing else, resulted in some rather powerful allies - but nobody was fond of GUN. They were the Guardian Unit of the Nations, more so in the Human UZA than the Mobian UZA, but they cared far less about protecting the people they were sworn to than punishing those they perceived as their enemies. They all remembered the disaster in Westopolis _and_ the entire situation when their favorite quiet and aloof hedgehog had shown up and what had caused his appearance in the first place. None of them were very keen on forgetting it.

Along with being an agent of the United Federation's President, Rouge was also one of GUN's many proxies - a job she had expressed time and again to not be overly fond of. However, she was unable to do anything about her position without express permission from the President.

No. Knuckles did not have to guess at all.

...

"Shadow's contract got renewed again..."

Knuckles paused for a moment, and then another, and then whirled to look at her, feeling, distantly, like the breath had been knocked out him. It took only a moment longer to fully register the weight of those words.

Oh.

_Oh._

"Shit..." he breathed, shoulders slumping while Rouge let out a breathy laugh. It was hollow. It didn't suit her.

"I mean," she began, "it's not like we didn't _know_ it was coming. _Obviously_ , we knew, cause we're not stupid and _hopeful_ like we used to be. But..."

"It doesn't get any easier, right?" Knuckles asked, trying to fill in the blank for her. She offered him a small smile.

"Right," she said, shaking her head softly and letting her ears twitch slightly as the rain flicked off of them.

They sat in silence again, and Knuckles tried to think of what to say. He had never been good with words.

"How long has it been now?" he asked, bringing his feet up to the stair just below them to rest his arms on his knees.

"Eight years," Rouge answered. Her eyes were distant, reflecting. Tired. A word he never thought he may come to associate with Rouge.

Eight years. Yes, that _did_ sound right, if he was up-to-date with his own scattered timeframe. It didn't _feel_ like it should be that long, and he wasn't entirely sure why he was dwelling on it so much, but... it really _had_ been that long.

"Eight years of a contract that was _supposed_ to last for two years," Rouge explained, "when it started, at least. Two years of service to GUN and the nation, do as he's told, demonstrate good behavior, and then he's home free, cleared of all charges for the Black Arms incident. But that was bullshit, obviously." 

Yeah. That sounded just about right.

"It got renewed close to the end of the second year. Their only excuse for it was a minor violation that, coincidentally, wasn't punishable by imprisonment or execution, but by an extended contract - to further prove his willingness to serve the people. The _people_ , they said..." Rouge briefly pursed her lips in thought, looking down at the little Chao that had decided her lap was a good napping place. 

Knuckles didn't make to encourage her to keep going. He knew she would do that on her own. After all these years, Shadow's obligation to GUN was a sour topic - one that none of them favored and frequently spoke against out of earshot from those who may take it the wrong way. However, Rouge didn't usually say anything about it. Instead, she would attempt to change the conversation or remove herself from the situation entirely, even if it meant making an excuse to leave the room. None of them were blind to it, but they never tried to stop her or make her stay and talk - she was one of the closest people to Shadow there were, and they knew how hard it hit after so long of dealing with it.

She didn't like to show it, but it bothered her a lot. Knuckles could, in part, understand why.

"And soon enough," Rouge continued, "two years became four. And four years became six, and six years became eight. Minor violation after minor violation, everything based on bullshit technicalities they don't _need_ to prove to get away with. Soon enough... eight years will be ten. And we'll keep going and going..."

"Well, you never know," Knuckles said softly, doing his best to reassure even though, deep down, he knew he shouldn't, "maybe... maybe we can get him out it, somehow..."

" _How_ , Knuckles?"

Rouge's voice was tight and sharp, snapping her frustrated, teal-eyed gaze in Knuckles' direction, wings flaring out menacingly on an old instinct that lay buried beneath her skin and inadvertently jerking the Chao on her lap awake; the rest of the Chao looked either startled or confused.

Knuckles jolted backward, lips pressed into a thin line as he faced Rouge's fury in a rare moment few people ever saw.

For a moment, he wasn't sure he could say that her eyes were dry at the edges.

"How?" she asked again, " _How_ do you propose we do that? Because if you have an idea, I _guarantee_ that I've already gone over it three dozen times in my head. Anything _you_ can think of, I've _already_ thought of more times than you can count!"

Knuckles didn't say anything; regardless, Rouge wouldn't have let him.

"Do you know what it's like?" Rouge asked, her face morphing from something furious into something painfully desperate, far more open and vulnerable than he was ever prepared to confront with her, "To watch him wither away day after day, knowing _damn_ well he's never going to get out of this thing? Because I've watched him slip, and crack, and hide himself away for _years_ , and it _never_ gets any easier. I've been looking for a solution to this _long_ before any of you ever thought about it. I've _been_ there with him and _for_ him through all of it because he doesn't have anyone else in that place! And now his contract just got renewed _again_ , and I _still_ don't have an answer for him, so _please_ Knuckles..." 

She was shivering, and he wasn't sure if it was from the cold.

"If you have _any_ sort of solution to this, _tell_ me. Tell me, and I will _do it_."

Still, Knuckles said nothing. He didn't have an answer for her, nothing that would even remotely help.

Rouge, he thinks, knew that, too.

They sat there, facing one another, the distant thunder from afar a buzzing white noise in the silence surrounding them, the stillness that permeated the air. 

Within moments, Rouge deflated. 

A heavy sigh escaped her, and with it came down her wings in wilted heaps, her eyes in tired hoods drifting off to nowhere in particular. Just like that, all the anger left, blowing away in the mild breeze that kissed their cheeks.

Being this high up and continuously moving, it was a wonder that they didn't get them more often. 

"I'm sorry..." Rouge said as she turned her body to face the stairs once again, bringing her knees up to rest her crossed arms, "that was uncalled for."

"No, no, it's fine," Knuckles assured her, shrugging lightly, "I get it, you're angry. I would be, too."

"Still doesn't constitute _yelling_ at you for it. I came all the way up here to visit, and I end up cussing you out. You were just trying to help, like usual..."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't doing a very good job of it," he chuckled softly, a smile pulling at the rim of his mouth, "I mean, if it makes you feel any better, I still hate GUN with ya."

"Everybody hates GUN, hun."

"Exactly!"

Rouge huffed out a small laugh, shaking her head at him.

Well, at least getting all of that out seemed to help, even if only a small bit.

"It _is_ unfair, though," Knuckles amended, leaning back on his hands to look up at the sky, "You'd think the Commander would've calmed down by now. I mean, it's been _eight years_ since the Black Arms thing happened, and all Shadow's done is do jobs for them and help the rest of us save the world in his spare time."

"Pretty sure he's just still chin-deep stuck in the past," Rouge noted, "I mean, I get the _initial_ concern with having Shadow roam free, but now he just wants to keep the leash pulled tight as long as he possibly can. When you've got something or someone _that_ powerful under your thumb, you're not gonna be very keen to let it go so easily."

Knuckles raised an eyebrow at her.

"You speaking from experience?"

"In a sense." Rouge shrugged, giving him a sly smile, "I've been working with humans for _years_ , Knux. I _grew up_ around them, I know how they work. We aren't so different from them, but they've got their own special brand of crazy, wrapped up in their little worlds. They have trouble letting go of things, no matter how long ago it was. And when you have someone that can't let go of something in _that_ high of a position of power, it can only spell bad news for the people underneath them. And when they can suddenly have control over the thing they blame for the thing they can't let go of? Oh, now _that's_ a real treat."

She went back to petting the Chao around her.

"Keyes doesn't know how to let go of what happened back on the ARK, even though it was almost sixty years ago, now," Rouge said, "I don't think it's from lack of trying... but I can never tell with him. It's been a long time, but he can't move on from it. I guess I can see why... It's not exactly easy to lose your entire family and the only friend you've ever had. I know enough about that to say for sure."

"You mean that Maria girl?" Knuckles asked, wracking his brain for all of the very few occasions she had been brought up.

"Yeah," Rouge confirmed, a gentle, fond smile gracing her face, "Like a lot of things, it all started with her. Touched a lot of lives without even trying, that one. Keyes, Shadow... Neither of them can get over her, but I guess I can see why."

"Well, the Commander's been around for the 60 years since that happened," Knuckles pointed out, "Shadow, though? He only woke up... what? Ten years ago?"

"Nine."

"Yeah, exactly," Knuckles went on, "Nine years is awhile, but Shadow's... different, I guess."

"That would be the constant conditioning that she was his only purpose in life coupled with the autism, hun," Rouge clarified, "not to mention the fact that, despite the 50-year time difference, he's still just a kid. He was technically only two years old when she died. Losing someone you're close with _that_ young and actually being able to fully process it isn't easy."

Rouge huffed out a sigh, looking up towards the clouded sky.

"He's been getting better," she said, " It's been a slow process over the years, but it's something. Not that our most recent excursion to the ARK did anything for that, but... well, you know."

"Why, what happened there?"

"Originally, we were there to gather some old data from it that GUN wanted, supposedly for layout-analysis, but who am I to say?" Rouge shrugged at that. "Either way, we found some old videos from back then while we were there. Little movies that he and Maria filmed of their _many_ adventures."

Knuckles chuckled a little at that, Rouge following suit for a moment before she stopped, looking off to the side with a... he couldn't say what... kind of look on her face.

"Brought back memories for him," she said, "not of all of which were necessarily good. He's got Olive now, to help him with the flashbacks and the trauma, and that's made a big difference, but she can still only do so much." 

Rouge looked back towards Knuckles, spreading her hands in front of her briefly.

"I'm glad he's got some piece of her back, considering he has so little of her left. Still... I also don't want him to get caught up in all the memories that he loses himself in them, you know?"

"He's a pretty tough kid," Knuckles commented, "He's been through a lot, and he can be pretty distant, but he's always managed to come out of it. He's nothing if not determined. And stubborn."

"Pfft," Rouge shook her head, "You got that right. Kid's a real pain in my ass sometimes. Love him dearly, but that won't stop me from kicking _his_ ass every now and then."

Knuckles threw his head back and laughed, a deep rumbling in his chest that caused Rouge to snicker and punch him lightly in the arm.

"What, you think I can't take him?" she teased.

"N-no! No," Knuckles stuttered out as he fought to calm his laughter, wiping away the tears in his eyes, "That's just funny, thinking of you actually doing that to him. He doesn't seem like the type to stand for it."

"Depends on who you are," Rouge smirked, "And believe me when I say I've managed to put the fear of the Gods into him a few times over - with love, of course."

"I'll take your word for it..." Knuckles reassured, pushing himself back into a proper sitting position, smiling all the while, "Where _is_ he, anyway?"

"Right now? He's having a tea party with Cream."

"No way."

" _Yes_ way, it's like a bi-weekly occasion, whenever he can make it," Rouge insisted, "He'll never say it, but he adores that kid."

The Echidna smiled and looked off out into the distance, mulling that over in his head. He knew that Cream and Shadow were friends of some sort - Shadow tended to make good friends with all the younger kids - but he had never imagined that the black hedgehog would ever deign to have a tea party with her.

Well. Good for him.

_Beep beep._

"Oh, that'd be me," Rouge said, lifting her wrist to view the communicator on her wrist, skilled hands fiddling with something or another before she stretched briefly across the stones.

"I'm guessing that's your cue to leave, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry 'bout it," Rouge said fondly as she made to stand and dust herself off. He followed her, the Chao around them seeming eager to do the same as they raised their heads at full attention. "I've got some shopping to do, and it tends to be easier when I don't have either one of those knuckleheads tagging along."

"Don't you like taking them out, though?"

"I do... on occasion. But getting groceries is easier by myself. Sure, Omega can carry more things, but he tends to spend most of his time informing the staff on the nutritional value of everything and why they should or shouldn't have it, and Shadow will automatically go right to the section with the swiss rolls. He'd _only_ eat those things if he had a choice and if it wouldn't eventually kill him. But I digress. It was nice seeing you, anyway. Same time half a year from now?"

"Yeah, right," Knuckles rolled his eyes, "The island travels faster than that, you know."

"Do I, though?" Rouge teased, hands on her hips, and tapped the heel of her boot against the stone beneath them, "You seem to have a different concept of how this thing works than I do."

"Uh, yeah, I've lived here my whole life."

"So you've said." A gloved finger poked the center of his forehead, leaving him blinking in confusion as Rouge unfurled her wings and made for the edge of the platform, "But you better be careful, cause I'm finally starting to catch up with you."

"I think I'll believe that when I see it," Knuckles countered, rubbing the spot she had poked.

" _Speaking_ of 'seeing stuff,'" Rouge said as she whirled around and placed her hands on her hips, "Are you coming to see Sally get a crown finally put on her pretty little head, or are you skipping out on that?"

"As if I'd miss _that_ ," he said, "she'd never let me hear the end of it. That or Amy would probably come and drag me off of this place with her own two hands."

"Funny visual, but I'd imagine you want to avoid that."

"If I can," he shrugged, "The Island seems to have the same idea, anyway. It's... what? About two weeks away? At the rate we're going, we should be at the coast by then."

A deep, rich chuckle bubbled in Rouge's throat, closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"You and your island-talk... well, that's good to hear. I guess I'll see you there."

Knuckles nodded, smiling her way.

With that, Rouge crouched low, wings spreading wide on either side of her, and launched herself into the sky. He watched her go, gaining the air she needed in a circling of the Altar before gliding away over the treetops, back to the Earth's surface where he, in all reality, didn't belong.

The Chao around him waved goodbye, gurgling out their own garbled form of the words.

The sky around him rumbled and threatened to downpour, as though it sensed that he was once again alone.

He should get inside.

There was one last glance towards the Master Emerald as he descended the stairs, the Gem gleaming where it stood despite the dreariness that surrounded them. There was

( _light_ )

no real way to communicate with It that he had discovered in his years of solitude. Or at least no way that didn't involve It acting of Its own accord. Even if he wanted the answers to all of his questions about everything he had seen - and he did, he _really_ did - he would never be able to get them out of It, not without It being willing to tell him.

As he wandered back through the Hidden Palace, past the mural that he had never understood, to the underground Altar he hoisted himself up upon, mind clouded with unanswered queries, he never stopped thinking about them. The dream and the mural and the structures that stood around him. 

The structures he walked through and sat perched upon, far too foreign from what lay on the surface but familiar all the same. Groaning in relief, Knuckles lay himself down on the empty Altar, staring up to the crystal-strewn ceiling framed, just barely, by crystalline walls that made up everything underneath the surface.

( _"The controller-"_ )

Yes, he remembered. He had never forgotten, for fear that it would do her a disservice after all her years spent trapped with something she wanted so desperately to understand.

He remembered. But that was all he could do.

( _"-is the one that unifies the Chaos."_ )

Distantly, he could hear the sound of the rain falling.

~~~*~~~

###### Just outside of New Mobotropolis

The gentle clinking of mismatched mugs wasn't a terrible sound to Shadow's ears. He had never understood the tradition of clinking glasses together as a toast to... whatever it was that people wanted to toast to. Maria had tried to explain it to him several times, but it never fully clarified anything. He had always preferred to avoid it whenever possible, primarily due to the sharp shrill of glass against glass that always upset his overly sensitive eardrums. But the mugs that he and Cream clinked together over her little tea-party table, ceramic and smooth and thick, unlike glass or chinaware, were far more bearable. They, instead, created a muted 'thunk' as they gently collided with each other. 

Even if it wasn't pleasant to him, he doubted that he would have protested. Despite his aloof demeanor and overall less-than-friendly attitude, there wasn't much he wouldn't do for the little rabbit sitting diagonally from him.

"Are you sure you don't want any tea, Mr. Shadow?" Cream asked after taking a careful sip from her steaming cup, "There's plenty to go around, and Mama won't mind if we have to make another pot."

"I'm alright, thank you," Shadow assured her, setting his own cup of dark greenish-blue liquid down on the small coaster, "I'm not exactly a fan of tea - the leaves and the bitterness have always been a deterrent of mine."

Cream raised an eyebrow, looking off into the corner of the room in thought.

"Yeah, I get that," she confessed, "I never used to like it before, either, until I figured out you can put sugar and milk in it to make it sweeter!"

"I think you like your drinks sweeter than I do," he said, nodding towards the little rubbish bin by one of the table legs that had 9 used sugar packets gathered together at the top.

Cream smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Seven years hadn't changed Shadow very much, but they had undoubtedly changed Cream. While her cheerful demeanor was still the same as ever, she now stood at Shadow's height in her square-heeled shoes, colored orange at the toes, yellow at the heels, blue around the vamp and white all along the tongue, disappearing into gold-buttoned white cuffs. Her sleeveless orange dress had changed minimally, now cinched at the waist with a gold belt, gold buttons lined up in two rows down the front, and a blue ribbon replacing the cravat. Underneath, she wore a simple short-sleeved white collared shirt and a pair of white capri-pants that were yellow along the bottom. The gloves that adorned her hands were still plain white, but now had cuffs with gold buttons to match her shoes. Her ears were longer, reaching her ankles to accommodate for her growth spurt, while the hair on the back and top of her head was now grown out and gently curled.

Many of their friends and acquaintances always said that she looked like Vanilla, and Shadow was inclined to agree. 

"Chao, chao!" Cheese yelped happily from the center of the table, throwing a tiny armful of sugar packets up into the air, where they soon fell down onto the table, one on the tablecloth, one on the plate of muffins that Cream had baked earlier, and one on Olive's head.

Olive gave a full-body shake to clear any remnant of the packet on herself and made an unimpressed sound at Cheese. 

Cheese had changed with Cream as well, having evolved a few years ago into a white, gold, and blue Hero Chao. His little bowtie, though, remained the same.

"Oh, come on, Cheese," Cream said fondly, leaning forward to gently scoop up her friend and bringing him to her lap, "Olive's a guest! You shouldn't throw sugar on her."

"Chao chao..." Cheese amended, looking away somberly while Cream smiled.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shadow thought he saw Olive cross her little arms and give a smug little 'hmmph.' And if he _did_ see it... well, she could do what she liked.

"How has work been going, Mr. Shadow?" Cream asked as Cheese flew out of her grasp and wandered across the table. "You and Ms. Rouge and Mr. Omega just got back from one of your trips, right?"

"We did," Shadow said, rubbing the fingers of one hand together beneath the table, "It's been... less than adequate. But it's consistent, so I suppose that counts for something."

Cream furrowed her brows together and tilted her head.

"Awww, why hasn't it been good?"

"My contract with GUN was renewed again," he explained, his expression blank but neither cold nor distant (it had taken him a long time to figure out how to do that), "So now I have to keep working for them."

"And the contract does... what again?"

"It makes it so that the military can assure I stay out of trouble and that I don't do anything they don't approve of."

"Like that time you tried to blow up the planet?"

"... yes, like that."

"But that was _years_ ago, Mr. Shadow!" Cream protested gently, "You aren't like that anymore! And you remember way more about yourself than you did back then, so that has to matter to them, right?"

"I'm afraid not," Shadow said carefully. It was easier to talk to Cream about these things now that she was older, but she still didn't fully understand them. Not that he had ever truly tried to get her to fully understand for the lack of desire to burden her with his problems - Rouge had insisted upon being the person he did that to.

Cream huffed and sank down in her chair, taking another sip of her tea. She gazed down into the creamy pale drink, watching it swirl ever so slightly.

"It doesn't seem very fair," she said, pressing her lips together, "You do all _sorts_ of things for them, without ever complaining! And they never _actually_ give you a break! I mean, you can't _always_ want to go on all of those trips for them, right?"

Shadow said nothing for a moment, opting to stare at the handle of his cup where it sat on the plate.

Olive cooed purposefully at him, and he looked back up in Cream's direction.

"Not always, no," he said, "But I can't exactly refuse, so..." he shrugged, "It is what it is."

Cream watched him, an unreadable look on her face as she set her cup back on her own plate, but didn't remove her hands.

"Well, then I don't like the way it is..."

Shadow huffed quietly in amusement.

She sounded a lot like Maria in that way.

_Knock knock_

"Come in!"

The buttery scent of fresh-baked cookies wafted into the room as Vanilla opened the door, smiling warmly at the two of them and carrying a plate chocolate chip cookies in one hand.

"How are you two doing?" she asked, wandering over and gently setting the plate down on a free space that Cream had quickly cleared up.

"We're doing good," Cream smiled, "Thank you, Mama!"

Vanilla chuckled softly.

"It's no problem, dear."

Cream's whole body smiled with her before her eyes were drawn over to the door with a shuffling sound. Beaming, she nearly stood up from her chair when she stuck her hand out to wave.

"Hi, Mr. Vector!" she greeted cheerily.

Shadow looked over to the door himself, seeing none other than Vector the Crocodile peering in. He almost looked startled that he had been noticed, but smiled sheepishly at them and scratched the back of his neck with one large gloved hand.

"H-hey, you guys!" he greeted, "Havin' fun?"

"Yeah!" Cream confirmed happily, before gesturing to one of the empty chairs around the table, "Would you like to have a cup of tea with us?"

Vector opened his mouth to answer, but Vanilla quickly - very quickly - placed a hand on Cream's slim shoulder and shook her head with a strained smile.

"No, no, Cream, he doesn't have _time_ for that," she said, and looked at Vector out of the corner of her eyes, a kind of expression on her face that Shadow couldn't name, "Mr. Vector was _just_ leaving."

There was a quiet that followed, one that prickled the fine hairs on the back of Shadow's neck, one that Cream looked both confused and suspicious of.

Vector continued to look at Vanilla, looking like he was about to say something. Vanilla stood stock still, never letting go of his gaze. The upward curve of her lips was icy and detached.

Vector closed his mouth and averted his eyes.

"R-right," he said, before looking back at Cream and Shadow, "Well, V-Vanilla's right, you guys! I should get going before Charmy and Espio start wondering where I ran off to..."

"Okay, Mr. Vector," Cream said, with only the slightest falter to her cheerful attitude, "See you later!"

Vector disappeared from the doorway without another word, his heavy footsteps growing further away as he went back down the hall.

"Congratulations, by the way!" Shadow called after him.

"Thank you!"

They heard the creak of the front door opening, and the following 'thump' of departure.

The moment that sound reached their ears, the room's unexplainable tension dissipated as if it had never been there, and Vanilla perked up with a smile in Shadow's direction. The warmth that was always so characteristic on her face was back, and Shadow wondered why he was brought to think it ever left.

"It really is a shame that you three couldn't make it to the wedding," she said, "It was very lovely. Cheap, of course... but still lovely."

"You should've seen it, Mr. Shadow!" Cream exclaimed, "You'd never think you could make so many decorations out of recycled cardboard and lightbulbs!"

"We watched the video," Shadow explained, picking up his mug again, "it's basically the same thing."

"All the same," Vanilla said, "it would've been nice for you three to be there. But," she shrugged, "I guess when duty calls, you must answer."

"Oh yeah!" Cream explained, bouncing in her seat and turning to her mother with a saddened look on her face, "Shadow was telling me that his contract with the military got renewed again, Mama! The one that makes him have to do whatever they want without ever complaining and keeps going even though he's gotten better nowadays and hasn't tried to end the world again in a long time! That's not very fair, is it?"

Vanilla softened, giving Cream an apologetic smile before looking at Shadow. 

"I'm sorry to hear about that, dear," she said, coming forward to give him a firm hug against the side of her torso before pulling away to look at him again, "You know you always have a safe space here if you ever need it."

"Thank you," he nodded.

Vanilla smiled at him - something that reminded him so much of _her_ \- and looked quizically down into the lukewarm cup he held in his hands. She looked over towards Cream's cup and tilted her head.

"What kind of tea is yours, exactly, dear?" Vanilla asked him, and Cream quickly perked up from where she had been slumped only a moment ago.

"Oh!" the little rabbit began happily, "I just boiled some Gatorade for Mr. Shadow. He really likes it a lot, and he doesn't like tea, so it's perfect!"

Vanilla stared wide-eyed for a moment, and then two, and then turned her hilariously shaken gaze back to Shadow and his cup, mouth open as if she was about to say something but not a word coming out.

Slowly, Vanilla nodded, pulling away from the two of them.

"O-oh," she uttered out, clasping her hands in front of her, not knowing what else to do with them, "I see. Well, that's... very interesting."

Of course, how could she have forgotten about Shadow's ridiculously strange tastes in food?

Pulling herself out of her surprise, Vanilla smiled and nodded at the two of them, heading for the door.

"Well, you two have a good time," she chuckled, "and don't forget to eat some of those cookies before they go cold!"

"Thank you, Mama!"

"Thank you."

The door closed. Shadow couldn't bring himself to take his gaze away from it.

"Is it just me, or did Mr. Vector seem a little weird?" Cream asked, hands closed together on the table.

Shadow looked back at her, her lips pursed in thought as she looked at the wall opposite her. Shadow then looked at Olive, who was watching him with interest. There was a half-eaten cookie in her little hands, crumbs littering her small face.

"Maybe," he said, taking another sip of his lukewarm Gatorade. 

Maybe just a bit.

~~~*~~~

###### Soleanna

Political assemblies had never been Elise's strong suit when it came to the responsibilities of being the sovereign ruler of an entire country.

She remembered many years ago, back before the world had fallen apart and her life was dictated by her father's mistakes, when she would sneak through the stone halls of the old Castle and peer in through the doorway of the assembly rooms, watching as her father and - very occasionally, when she had still been alive - mother deliberated with the Council or any senators or political figureheads visiting from faraway lands that had only seemed like fantasy in her young mind. She had never understood a word that had been said, and she had never stayed to watch for long - either she would get bored and wander off to occupy herself elsewhere, or she would be caught and gently lead away from the proceedings by her mother or one of the castle staff, whispering soft words of "you shouldn't have to worry about that, dear," and "it doesn't concern you."

And now, as she stood before a political assembly of her fellow world leaders with Lord Regis by her side, Elise realized how foolish they had all been. Speaking words that were so plainly false that she always wondered how anyone had ever believed them. 

She had been born for the throne, no matter how much everyone wished for a male heir to take over once her father could no longer uphold it. Lord Regis - the official Regent in times of the sovereign's absence or incapacitation - had been enough to appease the people for a short time until Elise herself was officially able to take up the mantle at sixteen. However, it did nothing to dispel that she was still a woman in a tense political climate made even more complicated with Dr. Robotnik's rise in the west. Even when it was made clear that she would be required to attend these assemblies, regardless of her young age, there had barely been any effort to teach her how to navigate them. Lord Regis had been kind enough to explain the basics when she was twelve, but the rest she was required to learn on her own with nothing but suggestions and a "fake-it-till-you-make-it" attitude to go off of. These meetings _still_ had her shaking from nerves and whispering self-encouraging words in the mirror.

She had always known what it was like to be nervous, worried, afraid of failing at what she was expected to do, whether it was to deliberate with the Council, discuss international issues with world leaders in greater positions of power than her, or reign in every emotion she had ever felt to maintain control over the destructive half of a Sun God. The fear never went away, no matter what was placed in front of her. But she knew she could do it. She always knew for the same reason she had known that she could keep Iblis contained within the cracks of her soul.

Because she had to.

That didn't make political assemblies any more fun to attend, however. Elise knew that they were necessary and attended them every time she was physically able to do so with undivided attention and regal professionalism. Still, she could never help the distaste that grew in her mouth for them over the years.  
If listening to Presidents and Prime Ministers and an Emperor talk about trade relations and minor international spectacles weren't bad enough, she was always required to dress formally in robes that draped over her shoulders and body. The heavy fabric was suffocating in the hot summer heat and only made worse by the stifling humidity of the closed-off assembly chamber.

Her forefathers had definitely not accommodated for ventilation when designing this room, and being on the edge of the equator had never done the people of Soleanna any favors.

Even now, as she stood at full attention while her fellows responded - none too kindly - to her announcement of attending the Coronation of Princess Sally, she had to resist the urge to shuffle and wince as beads of sweat slowly dripped down her back.

"I have no qualms about your ability to manage your own wellbeing, Your Grace," said the President of Apotos, her holographic image displayed clearly beside all the others, "nor do I have any doubts about Lord Regis' ability to manage Soleanna while you are away as he has done so many times before... but do you truly believe it is wise to travel to Mobius _yourself_ rather than send an Ambassador in your place?"

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Zorbelli," added President Abedi of Shamar, his thick brows furrowed over his dark eyes, "After so many incidents in the past with Dr. Robotnik there's no telling what could happen if you attend this event yourself! And considering he's been so quiet as of late, I urge you to consider staying in Soleanna where you have some semblance of safety."

Elise nodded slowly, breathing a quiet puff of air through her nose before looking between both Presidents.

"I appreciate your concern, Mr. President, Madame President," she said, her gloved hands clasped together to keep herself from pulling at her robes, "But, with all due respect, I am remaining firm in my decision to attend Sallianne's Coronation. I've had many discussions with the Council. We have collectively assessed the risks," she nodded her head to Lord Regis, "I have complete faith in Lord Regis to maintain the kingdom in my absence, _and_ that Sallianne, President Mansley, and the Queen of South Island will provide the utmost protection should there be an incident."

"And the Shield?" asked the Emperor of Chun-Nan, gaining everyone's attention, "You know as well as we do that the Shield can only continue to sustain itself as long as you are on the Island. Being on an entirely different _continent_ could potentially spell disaster."

"That..." Elise faltered, resisting the urge to bite her lower lip, having hoped that they would bypass that factor altogether, "... is true. The Shield is most stable when I'm in Soleanna's borders and even more so when I'm within the city; however, while I am unable to maintain it from a continent away, it will still be able to stand for a time while I'm gone. I can't say _how_ long, but the Royal Guard has been prepared beforehand should it fall before my return."

Lord Regis noticeably cleared his throat from beside her, bringing the room's awareness to himself. Attaining the desired reaction, Lord Regis returned his hand to be poised on his cane.

"Fortunately, I can assure all of you that the Duchess has been preparing for this event ever since it was first announced," he stated, looking between all of the world leaders before them, "Every imaginable precaution has been established with the Council, as well as myself, to assure Soleanna's continued safety while the Duchess is away. The Duchess herself will be accompanied by her most trusted Ladies in Waiting, and only the most capable of the Royal Guard. I do not mean to undermine your perfectly reasonable concern, but I can say with certainty that Soleanna is prepared for times of crisis should they happen to arise."

"Yes, but-"

"Emperor Shen," spoke the President of Spagonia, fixing the Emperor with a politely pointed look, "I'm sure that Duchess Vianello can speak for herself regarding her kingdom's safety. And that _she_ is most aware of the limits of _her own_ power."

The room sat uncomfortably silent as Emperor Shen and President Sauseda studied each other, the tension evident and rippling with dangerous potential. Finally, Emperor Shen straightened himself and tucked both hands back into the full sleeves of his white _hanfu_. Carefully, he nodded.

"Of course..." he relented, sending Elise a polite but strained smile, "my mistake."

Elise smiled in return and nodded.

"As for the rest of you," President Sauseda continued, "I would like to remind you that the Duchess, and Soleanna by extension, is a very close ally with the United Federation as a whole. I'm sure I don't need to remind any of you of the Solaris Incident."

The world leaders exchanged glances but remained silent.

"Because of this relationship," Sauseda continued, "I believe it would be best to attend the Coronation herself, rather than send a spokesperson in her place. Your safety concerns are valid. We live in very uncertain times, and a physical gathering of the world's most influential individuals all in one place has the potential to go wrong at any given moment. However, the Eastern Continent cannot merely send others to fight their battles for them out of fear of a security breach."

"Our _fears_ , Madame President, are _valid_ ," the Prime Minister of Adabat stated, "you just said so yourself!"

"I did," Sauseda conceded, "and I stand by that. But what I am saying is that by _all of us_ refusing to attend based on these fears, we are implying that we do not trust the United Federation as much as we say we do. They can understand our concerns, but we must also consider the message that it sends. Duchess Vianello attending will demonstrate that the Eastern Continent still trusts the United Federation and that we are still allies, but that circumstances keep many of us from being present. Her friendship with Princess Sallianne and the ambassadors of Mobius are also essential factors that we must consider. After the Solaris Incident, it would be a disservice if she was not at the Coronation. It _could_ also send an unpleasant message, considering that Mobians are a relative minority in the world. Supporting Sallianne's ascension to Queen of Mobius through good wishes will not be enough for all of us, and it definitely won't be enough forever. If we hope to ever have a chance for a time of peace, then the moment to start working towards it is _now_ , whether we like it or not. And your protests of the Duchess' decision is not showing your support for that goal."

The entire room echoed with Sauseda's voice and slowly faded into silence as she stepped back, allowing the rest of the room to stew over her argument. 

Elise watched from where she stood, deep blue eyes flitting between each President and Prime Minister and Emperor, forgetting to breathe through the suffocating heat of her royal robes in the wake of Sauseda's speech. Their minds turned quietly, the gears shifting, and wordless glances were shared between many of them in silent conversations that she was not privy to. Distantly, Elise wished she could give the President of Spagonia a bone-crushing hug, as inappropriate and impossible as it may be with her half a continent away.

Spagonia had been a long-time ally of Soleanna, the two nations bearing trade agreements and political bonds spanning decades before even her father had been named the Duke. Knowing this, Elise had taken significant measures to assure that the relationship between Spagonia and Soleanna remained firm and unyielding. Part of those measures had been to make friends with the current President - Maria Sauseda. But it hadn't just been for political benefit, as Sauseda was a wonderful person to strike up a conversation with and an even better person to go to about any lingering questions Elise had about running a country and maintaining relationships with nations she was unfamiliar with. They were good friends, but she knew it wasn't a personal bias that led the President to defend her to the other leaders. Sauseda was a remarkably clever woman, with a mind that could rival some of the smartest people Elise knew in the world, calculating but empathetic and able to view all sides of a situation from a logical standpoint. That wasn't even mentioning her frightening abilities in debates.

"You _do_ make a compelling argument, Madame President," President Zorbelli finally admitted after many moments of silence, "While I am still... hesitant, as I'm sure you can understand... about any of you attending the Coronation in person, I'm _also_ able to see the logic in Duchess Vianello being there." Zorbelli turned her gaze to Elise, who met it with practiced confidence. "I will trust that you know what you're doing, Your Grace. I wish you safe travels, and may the Fates be vouching in your favor."

Elise had to consciously restrain herself from scoffing at such a blessing. It wasn't polite, and Zorbelli only wished her well with hesitant but kind intentions. Still, she knew better than to rely on the Fates if they genuinely had any say over anything.

The Fates had never favored her as long as she had been alive. They took and took and left her with nothing to pick herself back up until a kind Mobian with striking green eyes and a lonely smile came into her life, pulled her to her feet, led her into a world of friends she had never been permitted and never could have imagined having - friends she still held dear to this day.

No, the Fates had never vouched for her; instead, they looked at her as a child with undue disdain, then gave her the great cosmic middle finger and never looked back.

Not that would ever say that in front of everyone else.

"Thank you, President Zorbelli," she said, offering a kind smile.

"I still have my doubts," admitted Emperor Shen, "but I do not wish to create any tension between us, Duchess. I'll choose to have faith in your magic for now, but I will still keep watch from here in Chun-Nan should something end up happening, and your people are left defenseless. I hope you don't take offense?"

It was meant to be a jab, subtle yet effective as to reveal any possible weakness, but she did not let it phase her.

"Of course not, Emperor Shen," she said and gave him the kindest smile she could muster, "that's _very_ thoughtful of you."

The Emperor paused at her reaction, before squaring his shoulders and holding his chin high, bristling with pleasure at the compliment. Inwardly, Elise smiled to herself.

"Anyone else?" Sauseda asked, casting a glance around the room. 

President Abedi placed his hands, palms up, in front of himself, and briefly bowed his head, giving his assent without a word. Prime Minister Lieu did not look pleased, but he didn't say a word.

"Alright," Sauseda continued, "with that out of the way, I feel it is appropriate to mention that I will _also_ be attending Sallianne's Coronation, for the same reason of showing that us over on the Eastern Continent still hold the United Federation in high regard." Those had looked like they were about to protest slowly closed their mouths and moved back into upright positions, "And, of course, for another reason. To gain the opportunity to talk to President Mansley and Commander Keyes about one thing that we have all wanted to discuss: Space Colony ARK."

A chill swept through the room despite the overwhelming heat, and Elise couldn't be sure if she was the only one that had to fight to keep herself from shaking. The shock must've been present on her face, as Sauseda cast a glance in her direction with an upward quirk of her lips.

Elise knew she should have expected it. She was a fool not to. Space Colony ARK was one of the most prominent subjects of debate in many of their recent gatherings. Opinions and arguments would form left and right with every fact and point made by someone else, with no one appearing to agree on what should be done. While this assembly had been primarily concerning Princess Sally's Coronation over in Mobius, it would have been inevitable that the ARK topic should eventually be mentioned - especially considering it was the perfect opportunity to have those discussions with President Mansley and the Commander of GUN.

Elise had always stood firm in her position that what happened to the ARK was not theirs to decide. Still, many disagreed with her - Sauseda included.

"Ah, yes," said Emperor Shen, "I had nearly forgotten about that dastardly structure up there. If _that's_ what we're talking about, I would like to make it known that I _still_ think we should dispose of it as soon as a method of doing so is discovered."

"After a lot of thought," said Prime Minister Lieu, "I find that I must agree with Emperor Shen. Space Colony ARK is far too dangerous for us to allow it to keep orbiting the planet! After so many incidents, you would think that Commander Keyes would have come to his senses by now!"

"There was _one_ incident, Prime Minister," Lord Regis countered, prim and proper as ever, "and that was nearly _ten years_ ago. Since then, GUN, as well as Sonic the Hedgehog and his companions, have worked to gain all the usage they can get from the ARK."

"Such as?"

"From my knowledge," Elise continued at Lord Regis' assent, "the ARK is a very expansive and _complicated_ structure. Only Dr. Gerald Robotnik and _very few_ others knew the entire layout. Therefore, many areas of it are still unexplored even after nearly ten years of digging. Whatever pathways and chambers were built within the ARK could contain research that could ultimately benefit everyone."

"Everyone? Or the United Federation?"

"That's _enough_ , Prime Minister," Zorbelli cut in pointedly, "I am just as unnerved about the ARK as you are, but this is not the time _nor_ the place to be making accusations against the UF."

"I-" Prime Minister Lieu faltered for a moment, "I never said I was... _unnerved_."

"You didn't have to."

President Abedi delicately cleared his throat, garnering the two leaders away from their squabble.

"While I, personally," he said, "have found that while I am not fond of the ARK potentially being used for world-ending purposes again, I agree with Duchess Vianello that the decision should be left to the United Federation. After all, Space Colony ARK is _not_ technically within our jurisdiction."

"And yet it is orbiting the planet and poses a possible threat to us _all_ ," retorted Shen, " _I'd_ say that puts it in our jurisdiction."

"With all due respect, Emperor," said Elise, mustering up all the confidence she could manage, "It is _hardly_ the threat that it was ten years ago. The Eclipse Cannon has long since been dismantled. The ARK has remained in orbit for _decades_ , long before you or I even existed. The chances of it falling to Earth on its own are _very_ slim."

"But not zero."

"If I may interject," said Lord Regis, raising his hand in a placating manner, "The Duchess and I, along with the Council, have an assembly with _all_ leaders of the Western Continent, human and Mobian alike, later in the week to discuss final arrangements for traveling to and residing in the Mobian U.Z.A. in the next several weeks. If you would all like, I'm sure we could bring up the topic then."

" _All_ leaders?" asked Zorbelli inquisitively, "I didn't think the Queen of South Island deemed herself worthy of attending international conferences..."

Elise smiled, imagining the looks on any of her friends' faces if they had heard that.

"South Island is a very rural place," she said, "Aleena made a point of shunning most modern technology to preserve the natural environment back when she was the ruling sovereign. Most of the civilization there is ingrained with the natural world around it. Her Majesty has been sure to honor Aleena's wishes while still having the means to communicate with others outside of the Island. But I'm sure you can imagine how complicated that makes contacting them in time for conferences."

"Ah," Zorbelli said slowly, nodding to herself, "good to know."

"In that case, Duchess," said Sauseda, "I hope you wouldn't mind if I also attend? I know the others wouldn't be expecting me. Since I will be joining you in the Mobian U.Z.A, I believe it would be appropriate."

"I'll be sure to notify them, Madame President."

"Does anyone else have anything to add?" asked President Abedi, looking around the circle, "I believe that we've covered all of our bases. Unless I'm mistaken?"  
"I'm quite happy with ending the meeting if the rest of you agree," said Sauseda.

Looking around the room, Elise watched as Prime Minister Lieu sighed and nodded. Emperor Shen stood stubbornly for a moment before composing himself and waving a hand to Elise with an unreadable expression.

"Go ahead, Duchess..." he relented, and Elise gave him a grateful smile.

Shen could be very stubborn and even stuck up when he wanted to be. Still, she had been determined to get on his better side since the day she had been told that the Emperor of Chun-Nan did not make friends easily. They were nowhere _near_ friends, not even close, but after treating him with kindness and respect and appealing to his vanity as much as she dared for many years, she had managed to garner his reluctant high-held respect in turn. Not that he would readily show it. And, of course, that never stopped him from making jabs, as if to prove her worth for himself.

"I, at this moment, state that the assembly is officially adjourned at 3:26 PM," she announced with a glance to the ornate clock on the wall, her voice resounding off the walls and back to her several times, "I wish all of you well, and I hope to see you again in good health."

"Thank you, Your Grace."

One by one, the projected images of her fellow world leaders disappeared. Sauseda was the last and provided her with a knowing wink before her image vanished, leaving her alone with Lord Regis.

"Well, I think that went remarkably well, all things considered," said Lord Regis as they exited the conference chamber, shielding themselves from the sudden brightness of the mid-day sun as it poured in through the windows and quickly being flanked by "it definitely could've gone worse."

"Still didn't go as smoothly as I would have hoped," Elise confessed, finally pulling at her collar and grimacing at the slickness of her hair as it clung to her neck, "at least Sauseda was there to smooth things out, but I know I can't rely on her to fix my problems forever."

"Regardless, it is good to have allies," said Lord Regis, "you may want to consider getting in personal contact with Emperor Shen, in my opinion. After all, he will be assuring the kingdom is safe in your absence, and it would be good to develop a close relationship. You've made remarkable progress with him over the years, but just 'not disliking' you can only go so far."

Elise nodded, carefully stripping off her gloves.

"I'll be sure to do that, and find a proper way to thank him," she breathed, allowing Sophia to begin removing the top layer of her robes as they walked, "but right now, all I want to do is get _out_ of these."

Lord Regis merely chuckled, and let the Ladies in Waiting take her away towards her chambers, turning down a different corridor to head elsewhere in the Palace.  
"Um, Lady Elise, if I may?" Anna spoke as she came up beside her, pushing her glasses up on her thin nose and staying out of Sophia's way.

Elise looked at her, eyebrows just barely raised to tell her to carry on.

"You have some visitors," said Anna, "they arrived during the assembly. They are currently waiting in one of your sitting rooms."

Elise nodded, taking a cloth from one of the staff who came to assist her as they approached her rooms. 

"Tell them I'll be there shortly," she said, "I always value visitors, but I'm afraid they'll have to be fine with waiting."

"They're from _Mobius_ , my Lady," Anna clarified, opening one large door ahead of her.

Elise paused, looking at Anna with what anyone else would have interpreted as annoyance. But Anna had known Elise for long enough, and saw the amused twinkle in her blue eyes, the subtle raise of her eyebrows, and the upward quirk of her lips.

"In that case," Elise said, lifting her chin high with a smile, "they'll _definitely_ be fine with waiting."

Anna couldn't stop herself from smiling her own crooked smile and gave a short bow.

"Of course, my Lady."

~~~

Elise felt far more refreshed after being able to wash and change into much more weather-appropriate clothing - a tea-length, sky blue maxi dress with elbow-length chiffon sleeves and embroidered with lace flowers along the bottom, coupled with a white, short-sleeved cardigan cropped at the waist with artfully sewn-on feathers, and sky blue kitten heels with small white floral-arranged beads to match. Her shoulder-length hair, no longer slick and sticky with sweat, was now loose and adorned with the typical crown of feathers, and a bracelet of pearls sat neatly on her wrist.

While she knew her friends wouldn't mind her showing up looking not-so-clean-and-polished, Elise always preferred to feel refreshed before meeting with anyone. _Especially_ after a political conference in the height of summer.

Her shoes clicked against the marble floor as she, Anna, and Sophia made their way to the sitting room occupying her friends, Anna leading the way. At the same time, Sophia briefly went over the rest of Elise's well-kept schedule (free for the rest of the day, thank Solaris).

"Here we are, Lady Elise," Anna announced. She moved ahead to grasp the door handle in her slim fingers before turning to look for Elise's approval.

"Thank you, Anna, Sophia," said Elise, "if you don't mind, I'd like to visit my friends on my own."

"Of course, my Lady," they said separately, and Anna opened the door.

The moment she stepped into the room, Elise knew immediately who was there without having to look. Of course, it was always the same one or two or, very occasionally, three people. However, the aura that permeated the air, brushing her hair against her cheek and lighting up the room with unseen energy, was still a dead giveaway.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said. As she stepped fully into the room, two pairs of eyes turned to look at her, "but you _really_ wouldn't have wanted to see me right after a political conference."

In all of his tiny hyperactive glory, Sonic was sitting on the floor by a bookshelf, a novel positioned in his lap, and his head cupped in both hands. Tails, so much taller than she remembered him being on his last visit, was kneeling on the end of the couch, a lampshade placed on the floor while he had fiddled with the lightbulb on the table.

Elise smiled at both of them. Ever the same.

"Elise!" Sonic exclaimed, zipping to her in the blink of an eye. Such an action would have nearly knocked her off her feet several years ago, not being prepared for the sudden gust of wind that came at her. But she had known her friends for many years and came to expect all the quirks that came with them. Glancing to where he had previously been, Elise saw that the book was already back in its slot on the bookshelf.

"We were wondering where you were," said Tails as he replaced the lightbulb and lampshade where they belonged.

"Sorry to show up when you're busy," Sonic shrugged, rubbing the back of his quills.

"It's fine," Elise assured, "political conferences don't happen very often, and I don't have anything planned for the rest of the day, so," she shrugged, "you showed up at the right time. Besides, you two are _a lot_ more fun than a bunch of world leaders."

"Well, yeah, but Spagonia's President is pretty fun to chat with," Sonic pointed out, "you should see her and Tails have a game of chess sometime."

"She's better at it than I am," Tails said as he came around the couch.

"Speaking of Tails," Elise said, crossing her arms as the fox came up to stand beside his brother, "when did you suddenly decide to get taller? You're taller than _him_ now!"

Tails flushed at that, putting his hands behind his back and looking away with a flustered smile.

"O-oh, well..."

Mobians were not known for their height, but Elise couldn't say she wasn't impressed that Tails had finally surpassed his brother. At fifteen (she gawked at the fact that he was _fifteen_ ), the fox was now two or three inches taller than Sonic. _He_ hadn't grown all too much but had still gained a couple inches in height from the time he was his younger brother's age.

Tails had made notable changes to his outfit over the years, consisting of knee-high boots (still in his signature white and red colors), a utility belt with various pouches, and a pair of pilot goggles set atop his head. His three locks of hair had seemingly gotten long enough to start pushing back, giving him a subtle slicked-back look.

Elise couldn't help finding it adorably endearing.

"Yeah, he's gone and grown up on me," said Sonic with a sigh and a fond smile, "soon he's probably gonna be moving out and dating and making his _own way_ in the world-"

"You say that like I'm gonna abandon you or something," Tails retorted, hands on his hips, "I'm only fifteen! Besides, who else is going to manage your plane?"

" _Your_ plane, remember," Sonic said as he nudged him in the side, smirking at him.

"Well, yeah, but it was _your_ plane first," Tails argued, "not to mention you _do_ still legally have a piloting license."

Sonic stared at him for a moment before looking away.

"Right, yeah, piloting license, of course."

"... you _do_ still have one, right?"

"Okay, okay," Elise cut in, a soft laugh on the edge of her voice, "you two can fight about piloting licenses _later_. How have you been? It's been a while since I've seen you."

Both Sonic and Tails looked sheepish for a moment, before launching right into the question.

"Oh, you know," Sonic shrugged, "flying around, visiting people, making sure Egghead isn't up to anything."

Elise nodded.

"Of course."

"And getting ready for Sally's Coronation," Tails chimed in, giving Sonic a Look.

"Oh, yeah! On that note..."

In a blur of blue and wind, the hedgehog zipped to a small bag on the ground that she hadn't noticed before and right back to his spot, brandishing an envelope.

"This is for you!" 

Elise raised an eyebrow, taking the envelope from him and lightly bopping him on the head with it.

"Cutting it a bit close, aren't we?" she asked, smirking at him as she carefully opened it with her nails.

"I told him to mail it a few weeks ago," said Tails, throwing a pointed look his brother's way, "but _he_ insisted on delivering it in person. Which, he also knew, wouldn't be until two weeks before the actual event."

"So I wanna see my international friends every now and again," said Sonic, poking Tails in the ribs, "sue me. Actually, don't do that, I don't think I could afford it..."  
Elise shook her head, her cheeks aching with the smile they always managed to get out of her.

"Besides," Sonic continued with a shrug, "we've gotta visit a few people on this continent anyway, so we might as well come to see you."

"That's true," Tails admitted, "Eggman's been pretty quiet lately, so it's best to check up on everyone. Especially everyone who's been kidnapped by him before."

"Well, I appreciate it," said Elise, tucking the letter back into its envelope, "Fortunately, Soleanna hasn't heard from Dr. Robotnik-"

"Eggman."

"-in a lot of years. Or at least not personally. The last time there was any problem was when the world got split apart in the Dark Gaia incident."

Sonic and Tails looked at each other at the mention of that, with Sonic's expression turning sheepish and Tails just barely concealing a grimace. She decided not to ask.

"Would you two like any tea, or do you have time?"

"We'd love to, but we kind of have to get going," said Tails, glancing at his wrist-communicator, "we have to get to Spagonia by tomorrow to check in on Professor Pickle and make sure he's alright with traveling. And then we have to make a stop on South Island since we can't always get ahold of Rotor when it's convenient."

"Trust me, you don't wanna keep the Council of Seven waiting," Sonic added.

"You mean _Sonia_ ," Tails pointed out.

"Yeah, mostly her..."

"Well, in that case," Elise chuckled, "I'll walk you to the Tornado. It's easy to get lost in here sometimes, especially when you don't have an escort."

The three of them left the room and made their way through the Palace's halls, bright sunlight streaming in through the large floor-length windows lining the corridors.

Sonic and Tails lightly bickered with each other as they went, easily keeping stride with Elise despite their glaring size difference. The Duchess only smiled at their antics, knowing that they were the same as ever, even if not physically.

"So," she began, "how are Amelia- _Amy_ and others doing these days? And how is all the planning for the Coronation coming?"

"You are not going to believe this," Sonic replied with a grin, "but Amy has _glasses_ now!"

"Glasses, really?"

"Yeah," Tails confirmed, "she went to the doctor awhile ago, and it turns out that she actually has really bad Myopia _and_ Tritanopia. Which definitely explains a lot."

"And those are...?"

"Basically, she's nearsighted and colorblind," the fox explained, "they can't do anything about the color blindness, but she has prescription glasses now for the Myopia."

"The first thing she said is that she can see leaves on trees now," Sonic pitched in, "It's nice to see her not get me and Shadow mixed up from far away anymore. Or at least not all the time."

"And how's _he_ doing?" she asked.

"Good, actually," Sonic replied, "aside from still working for GUN. But he likes spending time with people when he isn't working. Usually, Rouge and Omega. But apparently, he actually visits Cream a lot. And he drops off stuff from the ARK for _this one_ ," he gestured to Tails, "every once in a while."

Elise pursed her lips at the mention of the ARK, but decided not to bring it up. She'd be able to discuss it in the conference with the Western leaders in a few days, so there wasn't any need to bother Sonic and Tails with that knowledge. They would undoubtedly hear it from Sallianne, regardless.

"And the Coronation?"

"Sally's got most of that under control," said Tails, "she's had meetings with the Royal Guard almost every day, and she talks with the President and the Commander _at least_ twice a week to make sure all of her bases are covered. But I can see why. It's a major security risk, and we have no idea what Eggman could be up to."

"That's fair," Elise conceded, "I remember how nerve-wracking mine was. Mainly because it was only a year after the Solaris Incident..."

"Yeah, but we were there," Sonic reminded her, "we wouldn't have let anything bad happen to you anyway."

"Sally's also been a long-term enemy of Eggman's, too," Tails continued, "the Freedom Fighters may be dispersed now, and Eggman doesn't always focus on Mobius, but the war with him is still going. Taking down Sally could result in international panic for the same reason the Coronation is meant to a symbol of hope. It's a short event in itself, but _anything_ could happen, really."

" _That's_ why we got South Island on our side! They're mostly peacekeepers, and Aleena can sometimes be a little stingy, _but_ it's always good to have another person with magic to back us up."

Elise raised a playful eyebrow at that, picking up on the not-so-subtle reference to herself in that statement. She didn't know Aleena that well due to their limited correspondence, but she had picked up through news articles and passing comments that the Queen Mother harbored powers like herself. Granted, Elise couldn't say that she was surprised. It wasn't exactly typical for Mobians to have magic, or for _anyone_ to have magic, but they were well known for having physical abilities that far exceeded the limitations of humans. Her friends and their friends were the living proof of that. As for herself, she was considered an anomaly by everyone, from world leaders to citizens, with theories spreading via word of mouth and online forums she would occasionally skim through for amusement. While few people batted an eye at Aleena and the Oracle of Delphius, Elise garnered more attention than she cared for. Many of her own citizens believed she was blessed by the Sun God himself or even his earthly incarnation. While they weren't far off the mark, Elise wasn't sure what to think.

She had possessed minor abilities before the Solaris incident, most of which were never of much use, but her powers had only grown in strength since being separated from Iblis. Neither she nor her friends could figure out why. If nothing else, it at least gave her a greater opportunity to do more for her people than she could've done without them.

Elise held the door open for her friends as they stepped out onto the Castle's landing bay. While most of the Castle was made from stone, the landing bay was crafted from metal, creating a home for the royal air force's planes. The air force itself was small, consisting of less than twenty guards, and primarily acted as messengers and scouts due to the fortunate lack of significant conflicts in the country. A stretch of smooth metal extended out from the bay over the water, providing a place for them to safely land and take off. Just outside of the landing bay was the Tornado, seemingly modified since Elise had last seen it. It was currently being refueled by a mechanic, who finished off her work before leaving with a wave.

"Well, it was nice to see you two," said Elise, "I always appreciate visitors."

"Sounds like it gets pretty dull without us around," Sonic quipped, hopping into the Tornado as Tails got them ready for take-off.

Elise shrugged, smiling.

"A blessing and a curse," she remarked, "Be safe, and try not to get up to too much trouble."

" _That's_ asking a lot from him," Tails said, pulling his goggles over his eyes.

"Hey, I can stay out of trouble!" The hedgehog gave his brother a nudge from behind. 

"I'll believe that when I actually see it," Tails smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, what can I say? I'm a magnet for _all_ things interesting."

"Now I'm understanding why 'interesting times' is a curse in Soleannan myth," Elise sighed, holding up the invitation, "I'll see you in two weeks."

"We'll hold you to it!"

The goodbye was short, and Elise watched them take off, the ocean breeze kissing her legs and playing with her hair, threatening to shake her crown's feathers loose. They grew smaller, further away, before a hole opened in their path, glowing pearly white at the edges and closing behind them once they were clear. Releasing a soft sigh, Elise raised both hands, palms outs, to the sky, reaching for that gentle fire that burned in her chest. The Shield appeared, vast and incredible, translucent with a pearly white sheen, encasing her country as far as she could reach.

It faded back into transparency as she lowered her hands, satisfied that it was still intact and safe.

Although she would always know if the Shield was damaged or faltering, it was a habit to assure its security every few days; the citizens were used to it by now, and she knew it would be more unnerving if she didn't check on the regular. Both for herself and her people.

Still, it always made her uncomfortable to think that certain individuals could bypass the Shield without her permission or knowledge, even if they _were_ her friends.

Maybe she was just paranoid.

A sharp twang of heat surged through her chest, nearly knocking her off her feet and forcing the air from her lungs. It lasted a moment and then it was gone, but Elise still fought to catch her breath and still her racing heart. It wasn't a familiar feeling, but she knew it; that same feeling having inhabited the depths of her soul for years, burning underneath her skin. It wasn't exactly the same, but... 

"Duchess, are you alright?"

The landing bay workers looked at her, paused in their activities, and gazed at her with concern. The mechanic from earlier stood closest, cheeks smeared with oil. She appeared to be the one who had spoken.

"Y-yes," Elise stammered, trying to pull herself together and making her way towards the door. She couldn't hide the stutter in her steps. "I'm alright, I just... tripped, is all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Thank you..." 

They didn't look convinced, but she didn't bring herself to care. Because she knew what that feeling meant, no matter how different it was or how fleeting, and _exactly_ where it had come from. 

Her steps strengthed, quickened, and she couldn't have escaped fast enough before she ran. She ran and ignored the strange looks and calls of her name because they weren't important. Not anymore.

She ran, and she ran towards the only thing she had waited for, for seven years.

~~~*~~~

###### Mystic Ruins

Even after so many years and so many changes, Sonic and Tails still lived in their house at the edge of the Mystic Ruins. Though technically it was Tails' workshop that _doubled_ as a house, and Sonic didn't really live anywhere, but those were all technicalities in Shadow's mind.

He put the Chaos Emerald away in his quills, glancing at the sky that poured gentle raindrops onto his head. The weather changes between the Ruins, Central City, and New Mobotropolis were always difficult to track. While it wasn't raining in NM, it certainly was here. At least all of them were in the same relative time zone.

Looking around, he saw that Angel Island was nearby, almost clear of the water and above the mainland. Rouge had said she was going to visit Knuckles earlier that day and had left bright and early to catch him and the Island before they were gone. He didn't fully understand the concern, seeing how Knuckles would be at the Coronation regardless, but he let her be.

Assuring that Olive was floating at his side, Shadow glanced briefly at the old train station platform that still remained after so many years, before shaking his head and wandering up the hill to the workshop. It wasn't hard to find the spare key now that he knew where it was - in a small hollow expertly carved into the windowsill's underside, covered by a thin sheet of dull metal. Key in hand, he opened the door and stepped inside. Beside him, Olive shook herself free of water.

He didn't come to the house often and visited the brothers even less. Still, it had become a habit to make a pitstop not long after excursions to the ARK, suggesting he had been able to find anything worthwhile to bring. He usually favored coming when they weren't home anyway, solely to look around the workshop and observe Tails' most recent projects without disturbance. It also made it easier to go in and out without being coerced (quite easily, he begrudgingly thought) to stay for tea or lunch, but that was beside the point.

Tails' workshop was what the fox would call "a beautiful mess." Boxes of spare parts lay stacked in the corner, some half-opened and others completely open, but they were all left that way. Crates of more significant parts, papers, and maintenance supplies rested underneath the wrap-around workbench, ordered by importance rather than color (which Amy would have a fit about if she could see it). The workbench itself was littered with tools, machinery, and papers with rough sketches etched onto them. There was a whiteboard on one wall, covered in multi-colored calculations and formulas Shadow half-remembered from his days on the ARK. Various corkboards also lined the walls, dozens of papers, photos, and notes tacked on, as well as a few miscellaneous items. Countless sticky notes were taped to every bare surface and object the fox could get his hands on, with to-do lists, notes, drawings, and reminders scattered throughout all of them. 

A small warmth welled in Shadow's chest, and he let himself smile. It was nice to see Tails' dedication to his work. The fox's entire thought process was laid out in a stark picture before him, reflected in the coffee-stained papers, tagged notebooks, and haphazardly organized tools that made sense to Tails and Tails alone. In a lot of ways, it reminded him of Gerald.

Shadow unzipped the bag he had brought with him, pulling out several rolled-up blueprints, an old file, and - the one that had surprised him the most - a black, coffee-stained journal. He placed them all on a workbench, in a small space that wasn't littered with objects, and grabbed the stack of sticky notes nearby and a pen that Olive helpfully held out to him

There wasn't a lot that remained of Gerald Robotnik's work, decades of research and experiments and projects. GUN had cleared out the facility long ago, with whatever they had actually cared to take. The rest had been left to rot in the cold depths of space, accompanied only by the scarce memory of white lab coats, blaring alarms, and a joyous laugh. Most of the things he found there were indecipherable from age and manual corruption. However, some were still in decent condition. He figured that someone could at least get some use out of them rather than just letting them rot away above the planet; he hadn't spent the utmost amount of time with him, but he was sure that Gerald would've wanted someone to have them.

He taped the sticky note onto one of the blueprints where the fox would see it, and put the borrowed materials away, slinging his bag back over his shoulder. A glance out the window - it was still raining.

Shadow looked towards one of the corkboards on the opposite wall, humming briefly as he walked over to it, observing the photos tacked in place among the other papers. Although it was a workshop, Tails seemed to like putting up personal pictures. Shadow couldn't understand why, but he supposed it made sense considering it doubled as a house; there wouldn't be many places to put things.

The photos seemed to mostly pertain to Sonic and Tails' adventures; shots of the two were plentiful, as well as more domestics pictures of their friends gathered for different events or just taken on the fly. Several featured Tails presenting one of his inventions, face flushed with pride and a bashful smile. It was... nice.

Maria had liked to take pictures as well, always desiring to capture the moment, big or small, wanting to look back on the tiniest thing and feel grateful for the chance to have lived it. Just as he saw Gerald, he saw Maria in him, too. He saw her in a lot of things, and a lot of people; in Cream's careful thoughtfulness and defiant spark, in Vanilla's caring manner and warm smile, in Amy's sharp wit and Knuckles' curiosity for things he didn't understand. He saw a lot of her in Sonic. Not that he would ever readily admit it. 

But still, she was there. And sometimes to hurt to be around the faker, but he wouldn't admit to that either. Not if he could help it.

An inquisitive coo sounded from Olive as she tapped the side of his head, and he looked over at her. She was looking between him and the pictures, watching him.

"Good thoughts, this time," he assured, gently poking her small belly and issuing a little cheer from her, "Promise."

He took a step back, gazing at the pictures with a combined warmth and sting in his chest. Down near the bottom was a group picture, more candid than some of the others, taken in the middle of a group gathering in New Mobotropolis. He was in it, sitting with Cream and explaining something to her, though he couldn't remember what. An awkward smile tugged at his lips.

It was nice.

He and Olive left the workshop, locking the door and tucking the spare key back into its hiding place before stepping out into the rain. It had let up, but only by a little. He looked towards Angel Island again, knowing that Knuckles would undoubtedly be there. The two of them got along, bonding easier over the fact that they were both socially inept and prone to solitude. He wondered if he should visit.

Shadow shook his head. The Echidna would be at the Coronation in two weeks, so he could see him then.

Slowly, his gaze drifted over to the wooden structure of the old train platform. Olive hummed beside him, tilting her head in the platform's direction as if asking if he wanted to go. He didn't answer, but they walked there anyway. The steps creaked underneath his feet, old but still kept in reasonable condition, which he supposed made sense. The platform itself was quiet, eerily so, with no remnants of bustling footsteps and friendly voices to occupy it. Raindrops hit the tiled roof, echoing within the small shelter used to keep people safe from the elements when there were people to keep safe.

The marker looked lonely where it stood, directly in front of the train stop. It was made of stone, smoothed but naturally rough, placed in a metal holder to keep it upright, surrounded by flowers both new and old, charms, origami figurines, and crudely drawn pictures not made by the hands of anyone he knew.

Shadow had only been told stories of what had happened, for he hadn't been there. Apparently, it hadn't been too long before he was awoken from stasis. However, it still wasn't something he was familiar with. Still, he stood there, regarding the marker carefully. Still, the platform was silent, with no sign of the train that used to come through daily but now wouldn't come at all. 

He sighed, reaching into his quills and pulling out the Chaos Emerald. Olive held his arm in hers, looking at the marker and humming with a tilt of her head. He gave her a small pat. There was nothing left for them to do here.

"Chaos Control!"

They were gone, leaving nothing but the silence and the rain.

The marker remained where it stood, and where it would always stand as a silent, constant reminder.

**~ In Memory of the Lives Lost in the Station Square Chaos Disaster ~  
~ June 23rd, 2008 ~**

~~~*~~~

###### New Mobotropolis

It was surprising that Sally hadn't worn a hole into the floor with how many times she'd walked the length of the room. Logically, she knew she was worrying more than she needed to, and that she still had plenty of time to practice the motions, and that there was a rehearsal specifically _for_ this the day before. Regardless, she went over it again and again, posture straight and rigid, chin level with the floor, gait even and precise. Atop the dais, she calculated where she would stand, take the scepter and sphere, turn towards the crowd, and accept the title that had been awaiting her for years.

Despite the constant repeats, her hands still shook, and her teeth chattered when she tried unclenching them. Logically, she shouldn't be this nervous. Logically, she had known it was coming.

But perhaps the brain didn't adhere to logic as much as she'd like it to.

Her steps halted halfway down the stairs, and she sighed, shoulders slumping. 

"What am I _doing_?" she asked no one. The room didn't answer, and her father's painting above the door didn't answer either. Somehow, that only made it sting worse. 

The door in question creaked opened, and Sally looked to see Bunnie, standing there with arms crossed, a warm smile on her face, and a knowing look in her eyes. Sally could only shrug sheepishly.

"Sally-girl..." Bunnie sighed fondly, walking over to her friend as she sat down on the dais steps, head propped up with one hand, "you can't keep stressin' over this! I know you wanna be prepared, but you're gonna do _fine_. It's _Eggman_ we need to be worried about."

"I know." Sally scrubbed a hand over her face as Bunnie sat down beside her, "I know I'm being... _paranoid_ over this whole thing, and that I shouldn't worry about a bunch of stupid steps as much as I am, I just..." A cold but comforting hand wrapped around her shoulders.

"Go on, you can talk to me," Bunnie assured, bumping her shoulder against hers.

Sally pursed her lips and sighed.

"It's my Coronation," she said, "and I knew it was going to happen eventually, I've _always_ known. But maybe I just didn't think it would be on _this_ big of a scale."

"You mean the whole 'being a symbol of peace and hope across the nations' thing?"

"Yeah." she said, "I've always known I would be Queen of Mobius someday, and it's not that I don't _want_ to be. I _do_ , and I want to do what's best for my people _and_ the world, and being crowned Queen is the most efficient way to do that! But now... it's almost here. And I don't know if I'm _ready_. I just..." She looked to the painting that hung above the door, Nigel Acorn gazing back with a regal warmth that only he had been capable of, "... I want to make him proud."

" _Sal_ ," Bunnie spoke, leaning forward to catch her gaze, "Nigel would be proud of you no matter _what_ you did. You _know_ that! You weren't exactly born for the political scene, and he knew _that_ , too, just like I do. You weren't ready to lead an entire resistance against a mad Doctor when you only thirteen, either, but here you are."

Sally looked over at her, uncertainty plain in her eyes. Bunnie just smiled wider.

"We might all be separated, but we're still your Freedom Fighters," she said, "We're here for you. And we're gonna make sure that nothing bad happens; to you _or_ to anyone else."

Slowly, Sally smiled.

"Thanks, Bunnie," she said, "You're right."

"Of course she's right, your highness," said a pleasantly nasal voice from the door, "the Royal Guard may have failed you many times in the past, but we are determined not to fail you now!"

Both Bunnie and Sally looked to the newcomer. They stood at seeing April the Hawk of the Royal Guard, standing tall, professional, and smiling.

"April, good to see you," Sally greeted as they approached, putting April at ease when she bowed.

"Like I said," Bunnie said with an elbow-nudge, "we're making sure that nothing bad happens."

"Definitely!" April confirmed, "over the past few weeks, we've been taking all possible precautions! B-but I guess you already know that..." she looked away sheepishly.

"If you don't mind," Sally said, putting a hand on April's shoulder, "I'd like an overview of the plans. Whatever you can say, that is."

"Of course!" April perked up, "Follow me!"

The two of them followed April out of the room and down the hall to the Strategy Room.

"We've been keeping in touch with the Captain while he's in Spagonia," April explained as they walked, "he's been directing us where he can from there. Typically Coronations are pretty long. From what I've read, King Acorn's ceremony was 3 hours, _not_ including all of the celebrations afterward. For _you_ , we've managed to cut it down to about 20 minutes for all the necessary procedures. It'll be quick, but with the number of people that are supposed to be there and how big it is, there's still always a chance of something happening, Dr. Eggman or otherwise."

"Of course," Sally agreed. Before she could say anything else, April pushed open the doors to the Strategy Room, leading them inside. Various Royal Guards were already there, as well as several of her Communications specialists and the head Chamberlain. They all turned and bowed their heads briefly at her arrival. The three of them gathered around the central table with the rest of the Guard, maps of the Castle's layout plain for all to see.

April pointed at several different places across the table, and Sally carefully observed all of them.

"We've gone over all possible entryways, including windows and skylights," the Hawk explained, "Those'll all be locked and secured. Tails has some inventions for us that we can use for them, too. He says they're motion-sensored and connect to his Miles Electric, which means that the rest of us can focus on the doors. There will be at least two Royal Guards posted at each entrance to both the Throne Room and the Ceremony Chamber, and four at all entries to the Castle itself."

"There isn't enough of us to be everywhere," said Jax - a blue cat with amber eyes - from across the table, "but South Island is providing us with members of _their_ Royal Guard as well, so we should have more than enough to cover all of our bases. We're hoping that Duchess Vianello from Soleanna may be able to create a temporary shield around the Castle grounds, like the one they have over there. If not, then we still have enough security, regardless."

"Do you think you'll need more of us in the room with you, your Highness?" asked Marianne - a brown raccoon with equally brown eyes.

"No, we'll be fine," Sally assured them, "We'll have the entire central Freedom Fighters there, and that's not even _mentioning_ Team Dark or the Chaotix, who are forces to be reckoned with all on their own. The rest of you are best to stay guarding the doors; if Eggman or anyone else does happen to get through you, we've got all the defenses we could ever need."

Bunnie, arms crossed, nudged Sally with her foot.

"See, what'd I tell ya?" she said, "Ain't nothin' bad gonna happen at this. Not while these guys are on it."

Sally nodded in agreement before turning back to the Royal Guard and the rest of the room's occupants.

"Thank you," she said, "all of you. I'm grateful for all you've done. And what you _have_ done is more than I could ever possibly ask. If there are any security updates or further details that I should know about, please let me know. Until then, I appreciate your work."

"Yes, Princess!"

Sally and Bunnie left the room, leaving the Royal Guard and their companions to their own devices. Sally gently rubbed the side of her head.

"Hey, don't stress, Sally-girl," Bunnie said, leading her aimlessly down the hall, "We've got you covered. Even if we didn't have a whole plan, you know we'd all work somethin' out on the fly, anyway."

"Oh, trust me, I know," Sally said with an eye-roll, "I wouldn't even need to the rest of you for _that_. Sonic seems to manage it perfectly fine on his own."

"Eh, part of his charm."

"Whatever you say."

"Oh, come on! You know I'm right."

Before Sally could reply, her wrist-communicator beeped. Looking at the name displayed, she raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Well, speak of the Blue Devil and he shall answer," she quipped, answering the call. A holographic screen projected from a miniature projector within the device, showing a view of Tails in the Tornado with Sonic peaking over his shoulder. 

"Hey, Sally!" Tails greeted, talking over the wind, "just calling to let you know we just left Soleanna!"

"Hey, it's good to hear from you," Sally greeted in turn, "how it did go?"

"Great!" said the Fox, "Elise is excited about the Coronation! She'll probably be arriving a bit last minute because of the Shield's stability, but other than that, everything is a go!"

"Good to hear, and that's fair. I hope I'm not bothering her with this..." the last part was said to herself, but Sonic and Tails heard it regardless.

"You're not botherin' her with anything!" Sonic assured, leaning casually against his seat, "She's been planning for it, and she's more than happy to come! Besides, she likes you! But then you're pretty likable, anyway!"

Sally rolled her eyes, chuckling.

"Alright then," she said, "thanks, you two."

"No prob'!" 

"We're heading to Spagonia now to check in with Professor Pickle and the President!" said Tails, "After that, we'll be heading to South Island!"

"But not before we get some of their chili dogs, first," Sonic cut in, poking his little brother's shoulder, "They've got the _best_ in the world!"

"Yeah, yeah, that too," Tails said with a playful eye roll.

"Sounds good," Sally agreed, "I'll see you in a few days."

"Okay!"

"Totally!"

"Say hi to Sugar-Twan for me while you're there!" called Bunnie from over Sally's shoulder.

"We will!"

"Bye now."

Sally hung up, the screen disappearing back into her communicator. Satisfied, she looked over at Bunnie - who was giving her a very noticeable, suggestive side-eye.  
"What?" Sally asked cautiously, preparing for the teasing that was sure to come.

"I keep tellin' ya," Bunnie said, following beside Sally as they started down the corridor again, "he'd make a great king."

Sally sighed and shook her head, but there wasn't a hint of annoyance in it.

"Sonic and I aren't together anymore," she responded, "that ship sailed a long time ago. Besides, we're better as friends than we ever were as romantic partners. We didn't really... _connect_ the way we expected, I guess."

"Yeah, that's true," Bunnie agreed, shrugging, "but you also found someone you _do_ connect with pretty darn good if what I've seen has anything to say about it. And I think she'd make a _pretty good_ princess. Or is it a princess consort? Is there a right term for that...?"

"Hey!" Sally cut in sternly, giving her friend a gentle wack, "don't go getting ahead of yourself. Amy's still young, and she's got a lot to learn."

"Yeah, but she definitely ain't as young as she used to be," Bunnie replied with a knowing twinkle in her eyes, "Besides, I _know_ you like her."

Sally flushed a bright red, extending to the tips of her ears and down her neck, and noticeably looked away with a wave of her hand. 

"W-well, sure, I-I guess," she stammered, "we'll see where it goes, there's really no... guarantee about it with _my_ position."

"Mm-hm, alright."

"Besides, I just want to focus on the Coronation for now," Sally continued, brushing her hair from her face and shaking off the heat from her skin, "since we know that the Duchess is coming, I want to make sure we have plans for safely escorting her through Mobius. I know she can handle herself, but I don't want to take any risks."

"Fair enough. Sugar-Twan's already got the Professor and Madame President on his hands, so he's out. Think we could loop her together with the South Island crew?"

"Hard to say, but I don't think Sonia or any of the Council would against it." Sally shrugged. " That means Elise will have to come earlier, or the South Islanders will have to come later than scheduled, but it's worth a shot, anyway."

"Might as well as take all the shots you can, Sal."

The two of them set off down the hall, this time with a higher purpose, knowing they had plans to care for.

~~~*~~~

###### Soleanna

The path she took was not unfamiliar. She had traveled it a thousand times through the last decade, to give worship and to mourn for something she couldn't identify. It wasn't unfamiliar, but this time felt so much different. Different in how her footfalls echoed across smooth stone, in how her chest burned with breathlessness and desperation. Maybe it was foolish, useless, pointless, but Elise dared to be a fool, for just one more moment in a long life of foolishness.

Any calls of those around her fell on deaf ears, tunnel vision focused on only one thing. 

Distantly, it felt like she might be crying.

Taking the stairs two at a time, paying no mind to the feathers that fell from her crown, legs screaming with exertion and ankles protesting in shoes that weren't meant to be run in.

It couldn't be possible. It just couldn't be, but...

Elise came to the top of the stairs and burst through the doors of the Solaris Chamber. 

It was dark. The air was cold and musty, a stark contrast to the sweltering summer outside. Just the way it always was. Even so, Elise searched frantically throughout the room, looking for any sign or symbol, _anything_ that could just tell her what she wanted to be true. Finally, her adjusting gaze landed on the Altar, a perfect replica of the one from the Old Castle and recreated in honor of their God - but the Altar was empty. Just as it had been for years.

All at once, Elise's heart sank, and the conflicting embers in her chest dampened until it was lost. 

It was empty. Of course, it was.

A shaky sigh left her lips, bringing a hand to her temple and rubbing gently, feeling the effects of the light contrast creep up at last.

She had been sure. She had been so _sure_ , and yet...

Carefully, Elise stepped towards the Altar, her kitten heels clicking on the smooth marble floor, echoing like ghosts. She placed her hand just above the small cusp Solaris had sat in all those years ago in the Old Castle. It was a distinct memory; her father bringing her to see the Flame, holding her hand and filling her mind with fantastic imaginings that only a child could manifest, of a world of light, of timeless adventures, of seeing her mother again. And she remembered a far fonder memory, untainted with her father's ignorance, of holding the Flame in her hands with her friend at her side, outside of time and reality, deciding her future for herself. She hadn't blown it out, as she could have and perhaps should have.

Either way, she knew that the Altar would still be empty, but one reality was filled with far less pain than the one she was living. Her eyes stung with unshed grief, and she pressed her lips together tightly. 

For years, she had thought about her decision. She didn't regret it, not when she had gained so much from the events that had changed her life and freed her from her chains. Still, she wondered if a life spent never knowing the pain of feeling so worthless would be better than what she had now. Her life had been composed of her father's mistakes, of the ignorance and arrogance of mankind, of being the only bridge between peace and ultimate destruction. Now, without Iblis burning underneath her skin, kept sealed away only by her unending resolve, she felt she didn't have a purpose anymore. It wasn't true, and she knew very well that it wasn't, but the thought persisted day in and day out, and always came back.

And she never felt any less guilty about crying.

Sinking to her knees, Elise let the tears fall regardless of the voice in her head, hand still clasping biting metal and indifferent stone. Her throat ached with the effort of muffling the pathetic sobs she couldn't restrain. She used to be good at that a long time ago, but she wasn't anymore.

Still, no matter how much she cried and sobbed and bore her ~~weakness~~ vulnerability to the world, the Altar stayed empty, just like her.

"Excuse me?"

A startled cry ripped from Elise's throat, yanking her out of her own self-pity. She whipped around to a half-kneeling position, hands gripping the Altar in a white-knuckled grip. She paid no heed to the tear-stained cheeks and bloodshot eyes unbefitting of someone of her standing.

But her instant fear diminished, diluting into cautious confusion. She wiped her eyes once, allowing herself to breathe and calm her shaking nerves as she stood. Then she looked back, regarding them with something she couldn't name.

"Who..."

Distantly, the spark of heat in her chest returned.

"Who are _you_?"


	4. Chapter 3: Disaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!  
> Here I am, once again, back with yet another that is almost half the word count of what most of us are _supposed_ to be doing for Nanowrimo.  
> Which, now that I'm thinking about it, is probably exactly why these things take so long to write.  
> Anyway!  
> Happy post-Election to you all! I hope you have a wonderful November because it's about to get even better with this chapter that is going to take you at least an hour and a half to read! I should know because Grammarly told me, and it hasn't lied to me yet! B3  
> A couple of notes for this chapter:
> 
> I will not be writing out any accents (though I'm pretty sure you already knew that with Bunnie). I'm sure you know what characters would sound like without me having to do it, so their dialogue still looks like a normal person's.  
> I also have a couple of stars (*) placed here and there for a couple of notes on the in-world culture that I want to clarify that aren't explicitly stated in the text. Those explanations will be in the endnotes, so you can look at those after you read it.
> 
> Aaaaand I think that's it!  
> On a side note: can you tell I like putting all the girls (especially Rouge) in pretty clothes? Because I do.  
> I hope you are having a wonderful day, and don't forget to enjoy!  
> Cheers~!

###### The University of Spagonia - 14 Days Before the Coronation

The University of Spagonia was always a sight to behold. Ever since it had been built, it had become something of a tourist attraction to curious eyes and aspiring scholars. It was of the most prestigious institutions, renowned for its vast libraries and unique curriculum and knowledgeable professors eager to teach young minds about their experiences, findings, and research.

So, it should be expected that Professor Pickle was no different. And, in all the time they had known him, even from the moment they'd met him, it was evident that he was always eager to ramble about his specialty of ancient literature, keen to teach his Mobian friends all he knew if he believed it would help. It had made him a great assistance to them in the Dark Gaia crisis, and while the Professor always insisted that they need not find any way of repaying him, the rest of the Freedom Fighters were not keen to forget it. Which was _exactly_ the reason that Sonic and Tails were currently residing in the Professor's study as he packed for his upcoming departure to Mobius. Naturally, Professor Pickle deemed it necessary to only carry the essentials with him in his travels. The "essentials," however, seemed to consist mainly of books he was fond of, copies of various research papers, and small but interesting artifacts that he was sure to get multiple questions about. Which, of course, meant all the more chances to educate others on the marvels and mysteries of the world.

Upon learning that, Sonic had nudged Tails with his elbow, saying that it was no wonder he and the Professor got along so well. He had flushed, embarrassed, but knew that his brother was right. He and the Professor were from vastly different fields that had little in common with each other. Still, Tails was always happy to listen to him talk about the latest research topic or open philosophies of certain texts that Pickle had dedicated to memory. His area of expertise was far from literature and the arts, and he didn't always understand all of it. Still, it was refreshing to discuss more advanced topics with another intellectual mind whenever he had the chance.

"We're glad you can make it, Professor," said Tails as he examined a book the Professor had handed him earlier. "We know you like to stay where you can do all of your research, but we appreciate you being there. Sally wanted us to tell you she's grateful."

"Oh, think nothing of it, Tails!" said Professor Pickle as he sifted slowly through a small stack of books, considering each one carefully. "I'm a creature of habit, but I find it rather refreshing to get out every now and again. Besides, Ms. Sally has done a lot of work for all of us regular folk out here. I feel it only right that I accept the invitation."

"As long as you're sure you're up for traveling," said Tails. "I know you've got the President and Antoine with you, but there's still a lot of risks that come with it."

"Now, now, it's not a problem," the Professor assured, "your doctor friend got the best of me once, but he shall _not_ do it again!"

"I wouldn't exactly call him our _friend_ ," Sonic called playfully from the wrap-around balcony, pausing in his zipping around to skim through a thin book. "Cultural invasions tend to make things a little rocky, after all. But-" a shrug, "-we'll take your word for it." Then he was off again, appearing on the other side of the balcony with another book in his hand.

"My, my, did I hear someone questioning my guarding abilities?" asked a very familiar, heavily accented voice from the door. Tails turned as the door creaked open, allowing in the quiet chatter of students from outside. And there, expected, was Antoine, a lighthearted smile on his face and a plate of cucumber sandwiches in one hand, and holding the door open with the other.

While Antoine hadn't changed very much over the years, his attire, and his ranking, certainly had. After being promoted to the Captain of the Royal Guard some two years ago, Antoine had been gifted with a royal blue, collared coat with gold buttons, red lining along the edges, and gold along the shoulders. His shoulder straps and sword belt still remained, as did the red boots and red-cuffed gloves, only slightly overshadowed by the jacket's blue cuffs. Tails still remembered the day Antoine had first put it on in front of everyone as Sally officially promoted him. No matter how many people were there to witness it, he knew the Coyote would deny having almost cried.

"Hey, Antoine," the Fox greeted kindly. "It's good to see you again!" 

"Yeah, and you're a little late on us questioning your skills, there, bud," Sonic quipped from the balcony.

"Well, I was busy waiting, so I believe it still counts," Antoine countered, holding the door open a bit wider. Simon stumbled across the threshold, his arms full of various parchments and tomes the Professor had seemingly requested.

"I am inclined to agree," said Professor Pickle. "Simply for the cucumber sandwiches you have there, of course."

"Ah, yes!" said Antoine. He closed the door behind Simon and brought the plate over, placing it on the Professor's desk. "I'm not very... _practiced_ in them, of course, but I hope they are still to your satisfaction."

"Even if they are not, I appreciate the gesture," Pickle assured, immediately snatching up and examining one of the sandwiches. The crusts were expertly cut off, just as the Professor preferred them, and Tails couldn't say he was surprised. Antoine had gotten exceedingly better at cooking in recent years, and whatever he made was usually quite good, even if the Coyote didn't think so himself.

Sending Antoine to Spagonia was no accident on Sally's part. While he was a much-needed figure in New Mobotropolis, it had been agreed that sending him as the escort to Professor Pickle and the President was the best course of action. Spagonia was his homeland, even if he had been raised in Mobius since he was a toddler. He was, therefore, far more at home than any of the others would have been. Given what they had heard through Sally, the Coyote was especially glad to finally know other people who spoke fluent Franca*.

"I got all the materials you requested, Professor," said Simon as he set his arms' contents down on one of the couches. "I really don't know why you'd want to take all of this stuff to Mobius with you, sir, but I have them all! E-except for the tome on The Fates Eleven, I think someone signed it out..."

"That's quite alright, Simon; I appreciate your help."

Pursing his lips at the sight of the scrolls and books Simon had brought in, Tails studied the book in his hands, rubbing his thumb against the outdent of the title — Analyses & Deliberations of Chaos Force Theory.

"I would highly suggest giving that one a read," said Professor Pickle. "I know it's not exactly your area, but I think you may at least get something out of it. I found it quite interesting, myself."

"I could try it," Tails shrugged, "I thought you usually stuck to older stuff, though? The Gaia Manuscripts are centuries old, but this one's a lot more recent - from the 90s, apparently."

"Well, you're right about that," said Pickle. "Ancient texts and tomes are definitely my strong suit, but I've recently taken an interest in Mobius's many works of literature. I just happened to stumble upon this one, though it _is_ more philosophical. Regardless, it's always useful to know more about the Chaos Emeralds. You never know what sort of worldly crisis might demand it!"

"Fair enough," Tails replied, considering the book carefully for a moment before allowing Antoine to take a look at it. "I swear I've heard of Chaos Force Theory somewhere before..."

"It's unlikely that you would know it by its name," the Professor said, going back to his packing, "but it's what the lot of you mess around with all the time. It's truly fascinating! It discusses the theory that Chaos Energy is inside of all living things and scattered throughout the universe, but invisible to the naked eye. Why, the air we're breathing could be _riddled_ with it! And the concept of the Chaos Force is that it is the very _source_ of that Energy! And that certain people are far more attuned to it than others and can harness Chaos Energy for themselves to use as they will."

"Hey, it's like you, Sonic!" Tails pointed out, turning to look at his brother. The latter had come down to the ground floor to investigate a few miscellaneous artifacts and simply shrugged in their direction.

"I guess," he said, "but, in that case, I wouldn't really call it a _theory_."

"I suppose so," Professor Pickle amended. "However, I do believe it was written many years before the world ever knew that Mobians could harness it so well. Us Humans have a lot of catching up to do in the ways of you lot!"

"That's true..." Tails thought aloud. "I guess it could be useful to try and understand it more. Maybe it could help us learn more about the Chaos Emeralds, even, like you suggested. Knuckles might appreciate that."

"You could try handing it to Shadow, too," Sonic suggested. "He's all about understanding himself more and all that. And he can do pretty much all the stuff I can do, so he'd probably be interested."

Tails nodded in agreement at the suggestion, already trying to figure out in his head when he'd get the chance to see Shadow again.

Before or during the Coronation? It was debatable.

While still reasonably secluded, Shadow had gradually opened up more over the years. He was a private person, but Tails had managed to learn several interesting things about him over coerced lunches and ramblings of his latest experiments. And one of those things was that Shadow, while a creature of habit, was always eager to learn more about himself. That may have been partially why he was so content with listening to Tails talk about his work, though he never said anything about it. Shadow was actually very good at discussing advanced physics and mathematics theories, which shouldn't have been such a surprise as it was. Still, it made for good conversation that went beyond the ordinary, mindless level.

"In that case," Antoine said, handing the book back to Tails, "that sounds like _your_ proficiency, mon ami."

Tails huffed a laughed.

"Sorry to ask, Professor," Simon spoke up from beside the desk, hesitantly handing Pickle a leatherbound notebook. "But are you sure it's a good idea to take your decipherings of the Gaia Manuscripts to Mobius with you? I-I don't mean to pry, or anything, it just seems like... sensitive information, don't you think?"

"Right you are, Simon!" said the Professor, proceeding to pack the leatherbound notebook regardless. "The Gaia Manuscripts are indeed quite sensitive information in the wrong hands, and they should be kept here, where are at least moderately secure."

"Yes..." said Simon, "so, why are you...?"

"Oh, well, simple! My notes create an excellent opportunity to teach others about the fascinating history of the Gaias and the Shattered World Crisis. I always enjoy a chance to educate others, after all."

Simon didn't look convinced but gave a slow nod anyway.

"It also gives me the chance to learn more about Gaiism," the Professor continued, before briefly scratching his head. "Am I pronouncing that right, Tails?"

"It's Gai _a_ ism, but you're close."

"Ah, yes," Pickle amended. "It's a prominent spiritual practice over in Mobius, but I haven't had the opportunity to research it much. I also hear that the Queen Mother of South Island is quite the practitioner of this practice herself. A discussion with her about it would be quite interesting, I imagine."

"It wouldn't be much of a discussion," said the Fox, smiling in amusement. "Aleena's got some pretty strong opinions on a lot of things, and anything involving the environment is _definitely_ one of them. But she'd probably appreciate somebody who's actually interested in learning about it. Sonia and Manic aren't as into it as she is."

"Well then, I look forward to meeting her," said the Professor. "She sounds like quite the character."

"You can say that again," Tails agreed. "If you want, Sonic could probably introduce you; she tends to like him a bit more than she does the rest of us. Right, Sonic?"  
Tails turned to look at his brother, but the smile faded from his face the moment he did, replaced with confused concern.

Sonic didn't answer the question, even after several moments of silence. Instead, he gazed out the study's windows into the inner courtyard, where a single tree stood in the center, surrounded by benches and tables with students littered about. Slowly, one hand went to his wrist, where a familiar green bauble necklace sat just under the cuff. Tails couldn't name what he saw on his brother's face, but it definitely wasn't something he saw often.

"Sonic?"

All at once, the hedgehog jumped out of his trance, looking at the rest of them with a deer-in-headlights expression, wide-eyed and clueless.

"Huh?"

"I said..." Tails began slowly, "maybe you could introduce Professor Pickle to Aleena when they get there. He wants to talk to her about Gaiaism."

"O-oh! Right, yeah!" the stutter in his voice was unnerving, and Tails watched as he slowly side-stepped towards the door. "Totally, I can do that! I'm just gonna... uh... get some fresh air! And all that... it's a bit stuffy in here, so I'llberightbackdon'twaitup!"

Before any of them could say a word, he was gone, a sharp wisp of cold air ruffling the curtains and their clothing. Tails looked at the door as if expecting him to come back just as suddenly as he had left. But he knew better - it was likely that Sonic would be gone for a while, as per usual, when he suddenly decided to run off for whatever reason.

"Well, then..." Antoine spoke up, breaking the silence as he brushed a few loose hairs out of his face, "that was quite impromptu, don't you think?"

"I'd say so," agreed Professor Pickle. "What was that all about?"

"I don't really know, but..." Tails shrugged helplessly, "...I think it might have something to do with Chip."

"Oh, yes! That little fellow who enjoyed chocolate, I recall?"

"Yeah. This place probably reminds him of him a lot. A lot of places do, sometimes. Sonic doesn't do very well with losing people, even if they weren't exactly his friends. But Chip was his friend. He doesn't talk about it, but I know it bothers him sometimes... It probably doesn't help that we were just talking about the Shattered World Crisis and the Gaias, either."

"Oh, my apologies," said Pickle regretfully, but Tails shook his head with a smile.

"It isn't your fault, Professor," the Fox assured with a smile, "really. Sonic would probably be missing Chip anyway. If I had to guess, he probably just wants to go relive the time he spent with him before we have to leave. No harm done." Tails turned back to look at the door, leaving his final thought unspoken.

 _I just hope he doesn't try to blame himself_.

But, as with many things that concerned his brother, it was hard to say.

~~~

It hadn't been entirely a lie. Sonic could, at the very least, pride himself on that. He had needed air, and that was true, as enclosed spaces definitely weren't on his list of favored things. But the Professor's study had been more suffocating than stuffy, more stifling than stale, and the sight of the tree in the courtyard outside hadn't helped. Which didn't make any sense because it was just a _tree_ , but...

Maybe he wasn't quite as healed from the Shattered World Crisis as he liked to think, as he wanted to convince everyone else. The mention of the Gaias definitely hadn't remedied the ache that bloomed in his chest and the stinging behind his eyes.

Even now, as he ran towards the only place he wanted to be at that moment, he couldn't help but feel that he was being stupid about it. The wind whistling in his ears and pelting his fur gave no reassurances, but it was comforting all the same, just as it always had been.

Somehow, the sight of the Gaia Temple was both a comfort and a curse.

Sonic gradually slowed until he finally came to a halt, standing on the stone dais that surrounded the entire Temple and gazing up at the impressive structure that had served, once or twice, as part of a whole. The air was cool where he stood, shaded by the trees and the shadow of the Temple itself, a welcome relief from the heat of the summer sun. The rumbling timbre of the Thunder Plains was distant but close enough.

Nobody could explain it, but the Gaia Temples had miraculously reemerged all across the globe not long after the world had been restored. They had appeared seemingly overnight in the exact locations they had been before, despite having been sealed inside the planet with Dark Gaia and Chip. He supposed it made sense. The Temples were created to house the power of the Earth, supposedly sacred sites of worship centuries ago to whoever or whatever had built them in the first place. Their purpose was to reunite the planet if it was ever split apart again, so it should be only natural that they would reappear eventually.

For a long time, he couldn't decide if he was grateful for it or not, and whether or not thinking of them as his last connection to his friend was selfish.  
But, in the here and now, willing away the wetness in his eyes, he didn't care.

"You're lucky you're easy to recognize, Hedgehog," came a familiar voice from behind him. "Wenonah** almost had a heart attack and speared you when you came running by."

Sonic couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face, and he turned around to face Lupe, who stood there with an amused look in her eye and a cheeky quality to her stance.

"Hey, Lupe," he greeted. "Good to see ya."

"Good to see you, too," she said, wandering forward and poking him squarely in the chest. "When you _aren't_ scaring my Pack half to death."

Sonic chuckled at that, rubbing the back of his quills in embarrassment. 

"Sorry about that," he said. "Kind of forgot you guys were around here. We don't come to visit often, so..."

Lupe smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure Wenonah can find it in her heart to forgive you," she said. "But... I'm guessing you're not here to see _us_ , now are you?"

Sonic went to say something in response, but nothing came out, and he wasn't sure what to do after that. Lupe's gaze went up to the Temple before them, her eyes soft, and nodded again, looking at him with all the understanding in the world. As grateful as he was for it, he still wasn't sure how she always managed to do that.  
Lupe had been through a lot in her short life, just as all of them had. She had been subjected to invasions, attacks, worldly disasters, and losing the only family she'd had. He wasn't one for dwelling on negative emotions if he could help it, but even he knew that they couldn't be set aside forever. By all means, Lupe had every right to be bitter about the cards she had been dealt, every right to shut out the rest of the world.

Instead, she had made herself kind.

And if that wasn't admirable, he didn't what was.

"I understand," said Lupe, looking back at him and gesturing to the entrance. "Go on ahead. I'm sure he'd appreciate hearing from you. And I'll tell Ptaysanwee and Maka not spear you on your way out."

Sonic smiled back at her.

"Thanks, Lupe," he said. He made his way inside, leaving Lupe watching his retreating back as he disappeared into the Gaia Temple's friendly warmth. Somehow, it felt like being welcomed back to a home he didn't remember, embraced by a presence he couldn't quite name and didn't dare to hope for.

The Altar Room in the center of the Temple was the same as ever, unchanging since the Shattered World Crisis when he and Chip had been there, restoring the Chaos Emeralds' power and putting the world back together. Eternal torches illuminated the room in a warm green light, casting shadows against the walls that danced like lost spirits or the joyful soul of a simple God.

It was quiet but for the gentle swishing of flames and his footsteps against the stone floors, the room large and all-encompassing and so full yet so empty all at once. It was almost overwhelming. Still, he didn't let that deter him as he came to the center. He gazed at the Altar for a moment before casting his eyes all around, taking in the high ceilings and towering pillars and the mural that decorated the wall.

All at once, his heart swelled, and the tears that came unchecked to his eyes were hurriedly blinked away.

"H-hey, Chip," he said to no one, wincing at how his voice hitched and echoed off the walls and bounced back as if in mockery. Regardless, he kept going. "It's been a while, huh? Sorry I haven't been around more. Uh... things are kind of busy, nowadays. You probably wouldn't believe half of the things that have happened since you've been gone."

His legs felt weaker than they should, so he carefully set himself down on the ground, leaning his back against the small Altar and ignoring his quills' gentle protests. He rubbed his fingers together quietly, thoroughly unsure what to do with himself.

"You remember Amy, right?" he asked the room. "You met a couple of times. Sort of, anyway... She's been thinking about joining the Royal Guard over in Mobius. Probably something to do with working together with Sally more. And she's got glasses now! So she can finally stop mixing up Shadow and me all the time. Oh, yeah! I guess you don't know him. You two are pretty different, but I think you might actually get along. It's hard to get him to open up, and not everyone can do it, but... I think you would've had a pretty good shot at it."

There was no response. Sonic bit his lip briefly and shrugged with a huffed-out laugh.

"Or maybe you wouldn't have... I don't know. Professor Pickle's still the same, though, for the most part. Still likes cucumber sandwiches, still loves talking about all his research. He's taking his notes on the Gaia Manuscripts to Mobius with him, to talk to people about Gaiaism, apparently. You'd probably be able to fill him in on some stuff... But Aleena'll do it pretty well, though, so you don't need to worry! She'll probably scare him a bit, though. She can be pretty intense, sometimes."

Still, silence. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Sonic tried to pretend he didn't feel the heaviness as it went down.

He had the distant thought that he would look pretty pathetic to anyone else, even if they would never say it to his face. Some people might feel bad for him or think he was ridiculous. 

Maybe he felt the same.

( _"I'll never forget you."_ )

"I, uh..." he began again, slower this time, a small but pained smile on his face. "I know you're, like, a God and everything, but you always seemed to like the simpler things life's got to offer. You appreciated what most Gods probably wouldn't bat an eye at! I know you have to sleep right now so you can kick some butt again in ten thousand years, but... I kind of wish you could meet some of the people I know. Elise, Sally, Shadow... you'd like 'em. They're pretty great."

...

"Kind of wish you could see the Coronation, too," he said, "I don't know if you know about that, but Sally's finally gonna be Queen of all us Mobians! Everybody's makin' a huge deal of it, which is probably a good thing. It's supposed to be a... a symbol, kind of. Of hope. And not just for us, but for everybody. I... I think you'd like that." 

Sonic was no stranger to talking to himself. He did it all the time, back before Dr. Eggman and Chaos Emeralds and all of his friends and family, when it had just been him; a supersonic hedgehog with nothing but a name and the shoes on his feet. It was a bad habit he had mostly grown out of. Still, he would always, inevitably, find himself babbling to someone who wasn't there whenever the silence and solitude reminded him too much of times long past. Which wasn't very often, as he was rarely by himself or loathing the quiet that surrounded him, but it happened.

This time, he liked to think that maybe it wasn't himself that he was talking to. But it was a difficult thought, even with the pleasantly warm air that circled him like an old friend, that filled his chest but also left it empty.

Gently, he fiddled with the bauble necklace on his wrist, not saying a word.

The quiet was almost stifling.

He took a deep breath.

"Well," he started, hoisting himself up to his feet again and ~~forcing~~ putting a smile on his face. "I should probably get going before Tails gets all worried. Things to do and people to see... Shouldn't keep 'em waiting. You know how it is..."

Sliding his gloved hand off the altar and letting it hang uselessly at his side, Sonic listened for something, _anything_ that could assure him that _someone_ was hearing him. But, still, there was nothing.

Someday, he hoped he could let himself get used to it.

The Hedgehog walked back towards the entrance, his footsteps reverberating against the stone walls and echoing back at him, filling his ears with the sound of departure - of someone leaving. The ache in his chest shouldn't be stinging as much as it was. He paused at the door, breath shaky but even, and turned to the room again, alit with soft green fire and alive with dancing shadows. 

It shouldn't feel like this; he'd come back. Whether it was this Temple or another, he _would_ come back. He'd always be around to visit, no matter if his friend could hear him or not, no matter if it was a useless endeavor with a false meaning he had convinced himself of.

He'd come back.

"...see you around, Chip."

With that, he left, only barely feeling the gentle caress of a soft breeze from nowhere-

( _"I'll be here by you, always."_ )

-and it passed by in nothing but a moment.

( _"A part of the earth you tread."_ )

The Temple was the only witness to the wiping away of tears. But, almost thankfully, the Temple said nothing.

~~~*~~~

###### Just Outside of New Mobotropolis

Trees zipped by in blurs of green and brown, lost in the abstract painting of their surroundings but for the ones that Cream and Cheese actively avoided. The two of them flew through the forest, determination written across the young Rabbit's face as she dipped to the side to avoid a well-aimed rock. The thumping of heavy but swift footsteps echoed through the forest beneath her, following her with rough but efficient accuracy, and the constant rustling of branches and leaves kept up with more incredible speed.

The sound of smashing metal and broken wood arose all around, with no rhyme or reason by like a song all the same.

Briefly, the hair-thin string of a fishing line flashed in her vision before the sound of sparks followed, quickly left behind by the speeds at which they traveled. 

Good.

It was just like they'd practiced.

More pellets came at her, and Cream wove in between them, Cheese following in her wake.

"Chao, chao!" he cried, drawing Cream's attention to where a pellet the size of her palm hurled towards her, fired by the repurposed Eggbot she could see through a parting in the leaves.

She did not divert her course.

It shot closer, closer, closer still.

She grit her teeth.

 _There_ it was.

Cream released the tension in her ears and flipped herself in the air. She grabbed the pellet tightly, taking it along its course until she threw it back with all the force she could muster, effectively smashing in the Eggbot's metal skull.

Then, just like that, she and Cheese were off again, racing to their ultimate destination, paying no mind to the pop-ups of a blue hedgehog that sprouted up at their approach.

She could hear no crumpling of cardboard from either side of her.

Good.

Perfect.

Nearly there.

The croak of a frog echoed in her ears.

The vast thicket of trees ended, dissolving into a clearing where an Egg Guardian awaited them, activating immediately upon their arrival. Cream stared into the pinprick eyes that once frightened her and did not back down.

" _Now_!" she cried, and dove.

Big emerged from the trees, fishing rod at the ready. The Guardian spotted the Cat immediately, raising one of its massive arms and bringing it down with a heavy crash into the earth. Big jumped swiftly out of the way, skidding along the grass, and cast the fishing line with force enough to make Cream wince in sympathy. The lure's sharp curve smashed into the Guardian's head, making it reel back before the lure caught onto the edge of the mouthpiece. Big pulled the line down just as Cream rammed herself feet-first into the crook of the Guardian's arm, the tearing of metal and wires loud in the air. 

The Rabbit flipped forward once and landed on the other side of the Guardian, then turned and charged back in its direction. Cream lunged over the Guardian's shoulder, grabbing the end of the fishing line as Cheese knocked it free from the bot's head. The Guardian made to grab for her, but Cream twisted out of the way and pulled the fishing line taut around the Guardian's head, landing on the other side of its massive arm.

She locked eyes with Big, and the Cat obediently released their grip on the reel. Cream _pulled_. She pulled and pulled, flipped over and ducking under the Guardian every which way, wrapping it in the fishing line. The robot struggled to hit her with its remaining arm and eventually lifted up one of its feet as she ducked between its legs. But Big grabbed their rod by the neck and pulled hard, forcing the Guardian to stumble forward.

Cream cleared the bot again, coming out on the other side and wrapping the line tightly and evenly around her gloved hand, feeling it nearly cut into the skin underneath. Finally, she stopped and turned to face the Guardian again, digging her heels into the ground as it fought to overcome the severe constriction of the fishing line.

It barely moved, Big and herself effectively tying it down. Metal screeched, and inner wires snapped as the Guardian tried to force itself upright. Cream grit her teeth, her hand stinging.

The distinct rustling of leaves and boots against rough bark drew nearer, grew louder and louder.

Cream smiled to herself.

Tears prickling the corners of her eyes, she yelled.

"Do it, Amy!"

There was a blur of white, red, pink, and gold, the snapping of twigs. Amy burst through the cluster of trees, her Hammer clutched tightly in burgundy-gloved hands, fiery eyes outlined by a pair of square-rimmed, wire-framed glasses. She soared through the air, her entire body curving backward, the edge of her weapon brushing her heel. Amy raised the Hammer over her head-

"Girl's got glasses, _bitch_!" 

-and brought it down.

~~~

The resounding crunch of breaking metal dissipated from the air, the flapping wings of startled birds disturbing the trees with the wind. 

The training session was over.

The three of them would be in charge of cleaning up. Team Rose supposed that was to be expected since they were the ones wreaking havoc in the first place.  
Cream, Cheese, and Big immediately got to work on untangling the fishing line from around the Egg Guardian, mindful of the metal scraps that law all around them. All the while trying to maneuver the head so Amy could pull out her Hammer. So far, she was having little success.

"You know," Amy spoke as she strained to get her Hammer out of the remnants of the Egg Guardian's head, "I should probably go talk to... ugh, come on... Tails about getting this thing tuned up! Not gonna be great if it keeps getting caught like this." With a tug, the Hammer finally came loose, throwing Amy onto her back. 

"But, Amy..." Cream began, pausing in her task with the fishing line, "...don't you have _infinite_ Hammers? I've seen you take out at least ten in a row before, _really_ quickly."

"Well, yeah," Amy conceded as Big gently helped her to her feet, examining the Hammer in her grasp. "But I like to use only one if I can help it! Sure, multiple is good, but using the one is always nice for consistency!"

Cream rolled her eyes and shook her head with a smile. That logic didn't entirely make sense to her, but she was willing to take it. Through all the years, Amy was still Amy. But, just like many of them, her appearance and sense of style had gotten an upgrade. Her typical red a-line dress remained, but the difference was made by a thick white belt cinching the waist and a lack of the original white hem. A pair of black shorts were barely visible underneath. A white, cropped leather jacket adorned her upper half, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, with long, burgundy gloves disappearing into them. The gold bracelets around her wrists still remained, contrasting against the plain white cuffs on her knee-height burgundy boots. Despite the slight clash, it still suited her just fine. Her red headband was the one constant from all the years they'd been together. However, her spines - only slightly longer than before - were currently pulled back in a short ponytail, the two front ones framing her face on either side. And, of course, resting on the bridge of her nose was a new pair of square-framed, wire-rimmed glasses.

"By the way," Cream spoke again, releasing the fishing line and allowing it to successfully return to Big's fishing rod, "what was with that thing you said at the last part?"

"What about it?"

"Just..." Cream raised an eyebrow with a small smile, "'girls got glasses, bitch'? Really?"

Amy gave an exaggerated gasp of shock, holding a hand to her chest.

"Cream!" she jokingly scolded. "Language! What would Vanilla think if she heard you talking like that?"

" _Vanilla_ would think," came a familiar voice from the clearing's edge, "that her friends should _also_ watch their language."

Blushing and embarrassed, Amy looked over her shoulder at Vanilla, who made her way over to them with care in every step. Avoiding pieces of debris, the skirt of her dress was hiked gently up to her ankles, a small stopwatch visible in one hand.

"Sorry, Vanilla..." Amy apologized sheepishly, scratching at one of her ears.

Vanilla merely smiled as she approached, shaking her head fondly.

"It's alright, dear," she said. "I know you were just excited. But _do_ try to keep the language cleaner next time."

"Yes, ma'am..." 

"Other than that, I'm happy to see that many of the decoys were left untouched this time around," Vanilla said, glancing at the stopwatch in her grasp with pride. "And you made excellent time, on top of it. You girls did a good job."

"Am I one of the girls, too?" Big asked, pointing at themself curiously.

Vanilla's smile widened, and she patted a hand against the Cat's arm.

"You can be one of the girls if you want to be, Big," she said, chuckling in amusement as Big's face lit up in delight.

"Oh, boy!" they exclaimed in delight, Froggy croaking on their shoulder.

With that, Vanilla turned back to Amy, eyeing the spectacles that she was currently adjusting on her nose.

"How are your glasses working, dear? I take it they're doing alright?"

"They're working great!" Amy confirmed with a bright-eyed smile. "I never realized how much I couldn't see... And here I thought my eyesight was fine before!"

"Amy," Cream deadpanned, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "You thought that Mr. Silver was Mr. Sonic. Multiple times. Mr. Shadow, I can understand, but Mr. Silver? Uh-uh."

"Okay, okay, yeah, I get your point."

"Well, either way," Vanilla cut in with a laugh, "you did well. I couldn't have done it better myself."

Cream jumped excitedly.

"You could probably do it if you tried, Mama," Cream assured her, fluttering a hair off the ground as her ears responded to her eagerness. "I'm sure you could! You used to be one of the original Freedom Fighters, right?"

Amy raised an impressed eyebrow, and Big watched her curiously, ears twitching gently atop their head.

Vanilla blushed, putting a bashful hand to her cheek.

"Well, that was a lot of years ago, darling," she said wistfully, as though thinking of a distant memory. "We weren't really the Freedom Fighters back then. Doctor Robotnik's reign hadn't even _started_ at that point, though I _was_ there to see part of that..."

"What else was there to fight, then?" Amy asked, whisking her Hammer away to Hammer-Space. "I can't imagine anything on Eggman's level that would need a whole group of people outside of the military to fight it."

Vanilla's smile faltered for just a moment, and she averted her eyes under the guise of bashfulness. Cream did not miss the uncomfortable shift in her stance, however.

"Not anything you need to worry about, dear," Vanilla assured. "It's been long since settled, anyway. We were just a ragtag group of dreamers looking to make some sort of a difference, though there weren't very many of us... e-either way, I'd still be _quite_ out of practice."

"Oh, I'm sure you could kick some serious a- butt if it came down to it," Amy smirked, and Vanilla bowed her head in flattery. Amy then paused and looked around at the mess that surrounded them. "I sure hope Tails won't kill us for this... it's gonna be a real pain to clean up."

"I'm sure he can fix it just fine," said Vanilla. "Some of you have done a lot worse than this in the past, trust me. Now let's leave the cleaning for later. It's lunchtime."

"Are you sure?" Cream asked. "It seems kind of rude to just leave all of this stuff around here..."

"We can clean it up later," the elder Rabbit insisted, petting the back of her daughter's head and gently beginning to lead the trio from the clearing. "Besides, you girls have earned a good meal after all of that."

"You're the _best_ , Vanilla!" Amy exclaimed, eagerly falling in step with the taller woman. "Have I ever told you that?"

"Many a time, dear. And I hope you know that flattery will get you nowhere."

"Eh, it's still true."

~~~

The walk back to the house was short but seemed to take an eternity when growling stomachs were involved. Vanilla seemed to find it very amusing, joking briefly about how they could get anything done when they could apparently be almost defeated by hunger. Amy insisted it was the adrenaline wearing off, and Cream and Big were quick to back her up on it. Vanilla only gave them the side-eye before unlocking the door and letting them into the house.

"Comfort!" Amy exclaimed, blissfully draping herself over the back of the living room couch, which, admittedly, did not look like a comfortable position in the slightest. "My one true love!"

"So now the _couch_ is your one true love?" Cream asked, immediately taking to set the table in the attached dining room with Big. Her mother attended to the food simmering and baking in the oven. "You really change your mind about that a lot."

Not paying attention to the joke, Amy dragged herself the rest of the way over the back of the couch to flop onto the cushions***.

"Yeah, yeah..." the Hedgehog responded with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I can get back to all of that in a sec... Right now, this couch is the only thing deserving of my affection."

Cream smiled playfully as she handed the cutlery to Big.

"I guess I'll be the one to tell Sally you've given up on her for a couch."

Amy immediately shot up, limbs flailing comically, and gripped the back cushion, pointing one accusatory finger at a very smug-looking Cream.

"You will do no such thing!" Amy demanded before catching herself and stuttering with an embarrassed smile. "I-I mean, uh, I have no idea what you're talking about... No idea." 

"You don't have to be shy, dear; we already know," Vanilla reassured her as she gently fanned the stew she'd made and pulling a loaf of bread from the oven. "You've never really tried to hide it."

Amy huffed in reluctant agreement.

"Well, when you put it like that, you make me sound super obvious."

"Because you are," Cream teased. She giggled as Amy floundered.

It wasn't long before stew was being carefully ladled into colorful bowls lined up along the counter, warm bread tucked neatly into folded napkins, soft and crisp. Cheese carefully placed a small dish of butter in the center of the table. Amy soon joined them, gratefully accepting a bowl from Vanilla and seating herself.

"I'm sure you three worked up an appetite today," said Vanilla, assuring that everyone was accounted for before taking her own seat. "There's plenty more if anyone wants seconds."

"Thank you, Mama," Cream murmured cheerily through a piece of bread, bashfully covering her mouth with her hand.

"I don't care what anyone says," Amy said after a third spoonful of the stew. "I _still_ think that _you'd_ be a better cook for Sally's Coronation than anything they've already got planned! _You_ actually know how to make bread the right way."

Vanilla chuckled at that.

"Thank you, dear," she said. "But, again... flattery will get you nowhere. I'm happy to cook for you. Though," she gave the Hedgehog a playful eyebrow quirk, "I wasn't aware there was necessarily a _right_ way to make bread."

Amy examined the piece in her hand, a contemplative look on her face, before merely shrugging.

"Eh, probably just reminds of the kind I used to have as a kid," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, popping the rest of her bread slice into her mouth. "Simpler times..."

"While we're on the subject, and while it may be a bit redundant to ask," began Vanilla, "I suppose all of you will be at Sally's Coronation in two weeks?"

"Uh-huh!" Cream confirmed gleefully, bouncing lightly in her seat, " _Everyone's_ going to be there! We'll only ever get to see her crowned once. Even Mr. Shadow and Ms. Rouge and Mr. Omega are coming!"

"Well, I know _you're_ going to be there, Cream; I'm going with you," Vanilla chuckled heartily.

"They're mostly there as security," Amy cut in, going off of Cream's statement. "Or at least from what _I've_ heard. But it gives the excuse to not have _too_ many GUN agents there, so that's a win in my book. Eggman won't stand a chance if he decides to try and ruin the fun!"

"Oh yes, I've been meaning to ask," Vanilla said, gently wiping at her mouth with a napkin before setting it underneath her butter knife. "Are you still thinking about joining the Royal Guard, Amy? I imagine the process will be easier now that you can see properly."

Amy's left ear twitched at the mention, perking up ever so slightly and giving away her enthusiasm - if it wasn't already obvious by her bright eyes and excited smile.  
"Yeah, definitely!" she said, "I've already mentioned it to Bunnie a few times and to Antoine before he went to Spagonia, and they thought it was a great idea! I don't know if they've told _Sally_ yet, though..."

"I think you'd be good at it," said Big, offering a kind smile. "I don't really get what it's all about, or what makes it so special... but I still think you'd be good at it."  
Froggy, nestled on the table near the butter dish, croaked once, as though in agreement.

Amy smiled wide.

"Thanks, Big," she said.

"Maybe you could even get into the Queen's Guard!" Cream suggested, leaning forward eagerly. "Mr. Shadow said that every world leader has a set of bodyguards to protect them. The President has them, and I think Queen Sonia has them, too!"

"That's very true," Vanilla agreed. "After everything you've all been through, I don't think it'd be tough for you to meet the requirements."

Amy flushed the slightest bit and looked away bashfully.

"O-oh, well, yeah, I..." she stammered, a smile pulling at her lips. "I guess so. I didn't really think of that, actually."

Cream raised an eyebrow at her, a playful twinkle in her eye. 

"Well, we all know you'd _really_ like to be in it," she said.

The effect of Amy's death glare was lessened by her cheeks nearly matching her dress. Cream burst out into giggles, quickly followed by Vanilla's muffled chuckling and Big's hearty laugh and, eventually, Amy's own charming snicker, composure wholly broken.

It took them a few moments before they eventually got back to eating. The stew had cooled in the meantime, and the butter no longer melted on the bread quite the same.

But, as with many things in their lives, it was still good.

~~~*~~~

###### Honey Hive

Visits to Honey Hive were not necessarily standard for the Chaotix. Or for anyone, for that matter. Built into the mountains bordering Glyphic Canyon, the Hive was very secluded and accessible to very few. Even then, the number of outsiders actually allowed in the Hive was even fewer. Out of all those who _could_ access it, Charmy was, naturally, one of them, and one of the few that was ever welcome. 

Hence why he was currently there by himself, standing before Queen Bee while the sweet smell of honey and the incessant buzzing of Workers permeated his senses, nearly overwhelming to his already busy mind. Vector and Espio were waiting on the plateau above. It was unlikely they would be readily welcomed into the Hive anyway. The Bees were very secluded in their nature and not always keen on visitors.

Charmy, however, was always the exception.

"We thank you again for your services, Charmy," said Queen Bee, perched regally on her throne of Honeycomb, flanked by two Guards hovering menacingly on either side of her. "As well as the rest of the Chaotics. I apologize for the slight inconvenience; I would've thought our own Workers would be able to handle the situation, but it appears not..."

"It's no problem," Charmy assured her. "The important thing is that you guys can get back on your trade routes! I don't think those seagulls will be bothering you anymore."

Queen Bee smiled and nodded, a hand placed gracefully on her chest.

"Thank you," she said, "for that and..." the cast a glance over to the pile of cardboard that several Worker Bees were currently picking through, setting them back up into usable boxes, "...the cardboard, of course."

Charmy chuckled a bit, shrugging lightly.

"Well, we have plenty to get rid of if you ever want some more," he said, briefly hovering on the tips of his toes as though ready to go fetch what they still had in the van.

Queen Bee shook her head, waving him down with a gentle hand.

"That's quite alright," she laughed. "I think we have enough for now until we put it to good use. But we'll let you know if we're interested."

"And don't forget to call if you ever need something!" Charmy piped up. "We're always happy to help! If we can, that is!"

"For a suitable price, I assume?" Queen Bee asked, a playful lilt to her words.

At that, Charmy pursed his lips and shrugged slowly, tilting his head from side to side as if he were actually thinking about it.

"I mean..." he drawled, a smile toying with the corners of his mouth, "it's preferable. I could probably convince Vector to do it _almost_ for free for you guys, though!"

Queen Bee giggled softly, her laugh ringing like soft bell chimes.

"No need," she said. "The Hive is more than willing to compensate you for your work. You've proven yourselves to be reliable enough, and it's always a pleasure to see one of our own."

Charmy's brow furrowed slightly at that, be he didn't comment on it. He knew very well where the conversation was going, as it inevitably did on every visit. He couldn't say that he wasn't flattered... it was just that he didn't know if really considered himself as "one of their own."

It had been a few years since the Chaotix had first started doing occasional work for Honey Hive. It had started when Charmy had unintentionally stumbled upon an illegal Honey-Trafficking ring that was, quite frankly, robbing the Hive blind and threatening to cripple their fragile economy. Since then, the relationship between Honey Hive and the Chaotix - and, by extension, New Mobotropolis - had become relatively stable, with Charmy doing the grand majority of correspondence between them. Given that he was Bee himself, and the only one in the New Mobotropolis area, he was the most practical option out of everyone. And with that came Queen Bee's offerings of a place in the Hive because he was "one of their own."

To them, he supposed.

He didn't hold it against her, no matter how annoying it could be at times, but he still wished that she had stopped offering after the first few refusals.

"I'll get one of my Workers to get your pay _and_ your honey to you on your way out," said Queen Bee. "As always, it's the least we can do."

"Thanks!" Charmy responded, giving her a playful salute. "I'll let you know next time if I can get Vector's mouth stuck together again. See ya!"

Wings buzzing at his back and lifting him off the ground, Charmy turned to make his leave, but the voice of Queen Bee, unfortunately, stopped him in his path.

"Charmy," she called, and a small twig of dread planted itself unevenly in his gut.

He turned to look at her, tilting his head quizically, as if he didn't already know what she was about to say.

The Queen initially looked uncertain, which he thought was strange for her, but it was quickly replaced by a quiet, unreadable smile. She was a newer Queen, only instated into the role not long before their business with the Hive had begun. Still, she had mastered the art of polite stoicism faster than any monarch Charmy had ever known. Sally still had yet to fully perfect it, and he wasn't sure if the Duchess of Soleanna really tried, but Queen Bee had taken to it like a bee to a flower.

Ha.

He's funny.

"As someone who has done so much for us," she began, carefully tiptoeing through her words. "Who has managed to keep us in the loop, and, of course, who is one of our brethren... I want to remind you that you are always welcome here in the Hive, no matter the occasion. And, if you want... you can, and will, always have a home here."

Of course, it was a nice offer. Thoughtful, considerate, and there was the odd occasion where a pang of guilt stung in his chest. But, still, he couldn't possibly imagine actually accepting it. 

Fighting the twist of a grimace, Charmy gave her an apologetic smile.

"Thanks, Queen Bee," he said. "Really, I appreciate it and all, but..." his gaze lowered for a moment, a camera roll of fond images and video running through his mind. Then he looked back at her, and his smile was, strangely enough, grateful. 

"I already have a home."

~~~

The air conditioning in the van did very little to ease the stifling heat that beat in through the windshield; it hadn't been in perfect shape when they'd gotten it, and it had only gotten worse as time passed. Waving a magazine in front of their faces would've been more effective, and that was not merely Espio's opinion but plain fact.  
He had tried to convince Vector to get it fixed a few months ago, but the Crocodile seemed determined to go until it was no longer working in the slightest. That sentiment may have, in fact, included the entire van itself and not just the AC. Espio was half-willing to take bets on it.

They may both be reptiles and prone to seeking out sunspots and warmth more than others, but too much heat was just too much heat, and that was that. If nothing else, at least the heating still worked for the cold winter months when they were both nearly frozen to the bone.

Waiting for Charmy to come out of Honey Hive always seemed to take longer than it necessarily should. And Espio liked to pride himself on his patience. But with nothing except the shotty radio and twirling kunai in his hand, coupled with the oppressive summer heat and his significantly less patient husband, he _did_ get tested in these moments.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth before he could even think to resist. The gold and sapphire bracelet**** on his left wrist seemed to tingle ever so slightly, and he cast a fond glance at the one that rested just above Vector's usual large glove cuffs.

He's _married_ now. Imagine that.

"That kid sure likes to take his sweet time," Vector commented, ducking his head to look out the window in the general direction that Charmy had gone in. "Must be gettin' revenge for all those times we made _him_ wait in the car."

Espio side-eyed the Croc with a barely noticeable smile.

"Sounds like a rebellious phase, if you ask me," he said.

"Is he even old enough for one of those yet?"

"He's thirteen, Vector," Espio reminded him, the twirling kunai a welcome sensation between his fingers. "I'd say he's more than old enough for it. I hear it only gets worse from here."

"Just what we need," Vector sighed, leaning back in his seat and putting his hands behind his head. "Well, at least he probably won't turn out like us in _our_ rebellious phases."

"Bold of you to assume I _had_ a rebellious phase."

"Es, you are an actual _ninja_."

"I fail to see your point."

Vector just shook his head with a barely contained laugh, and Espio smiled softly, turning his gaze back out the window.

Several moments passed, filled with no sound by their breathing and the radio's low hum when Vector spoke again.

"Think she's offering him a home again?"

"Oh, definitely."

"What _is it_ with that woman?" Vector exclaimed as he sat back up again, "I can understand the first time and all that. And I excuse the second or third time, sure, why not. But _every_ time? Jeez, you'd think we haven't been taking care of the kid or somethin'."

Espio patted the side of Vector's arm without looking at him, shrugging his slim shoulders.

"Bees aren't typically known for living outside of Hives," he said, now twirling the kunai in his other hand. "They have a pack mentality, of a sort. Any Bees who _do_ live outside of Hives are rare, and it's even rarer for them to be virtually on their own without any other Bees around. Wouldn't _you_ be concerned?"

Vector furrowed his brows, looking off to the side as he thought it over. In the end, he shrugged.

"I guess."

Espio nodded.

"Besides, one day, he may decide that he _wants_ to be a part of a Hive," he continued. "It's not out of the realm of possibility. And he won't stay at home forever, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," Vector sighed again. "What's with all these kids growin' up so fast? We didn't grow up this fast when we were kids, did we?"

"I don't think it's wise to compare us to them, Vector," said Espio, pausing in his kunai twirling. "Especially since we can't be compared to most others. We grew up faster because we didn't have anyone else other than ourselves and some people we met along the way. That's our excuse. We weren't exactly born into a war threatening both cultural and _literal_ genocide. These kids were."

"True, but still," said Vector, "I coulda swore Cream was barely past my knees a few months ago, now she's all the way up to _here_." He planted his hand horizontally on a point just above his waist. "And Bees aren't very big in general, but look at _our_ kid!"

Espio couldn't help the small laugh that bubbled in his throat, shaking his head lightly and gazing back out the window. 

He agreed, in a way. The kids were definitely growing up fast, more than just physically. While Charmy's hyperactive nature and Cream's naivety could be points of contention at times, he was at least glad they had been able to keep some semblance of who they were after everything they'd been through, even if those traits were inherently more childish than not.

Speaking of Cream... Espio's mouth pulled into a small frown.

Right. He hadn't asked the day before because of the vibe Vector had given off when he arrived back at Headquarters, but he was sure he already knew how that whole situation had played out.

Exhaling once through his nose, Espio didn't look at the Crocodile as he spoke.

"I suppose the talk with Vanilla didn't go well, then?"

The van jolted all at once before settling back into place, emphasizing the force of Vector's surprise. It wasn't always easy to take him off guard, but it was clear that he hadn't been expecting the sudden change in topic, even if he had to know that this would come up at some point. There was no avoiding it, really.

A sharp exhale escaped the Croc's nostrils, and it took a moment for him to answer.

"Not really," he said, his voice carefully even. "I'd rather not talk about the whole thing... and don't say 'I told you so,' either!"

"I wasn't going to," Espio said calmly, sitting up properly in his seat and looking ahead. "You shouldn't feel bad about it. I understand why you wanted to bring it up in the first place. Still... you must've come to expect it, right? They were her friends. And Vanilla is an amiable and understanding woman. Still, I have no doubt that bringing it up after so long would be upsetting."

"Well, I _did_ expect it," Vector countered, albeit weakly, and Espio glanced at him. "Just... didn't expect exactly how it went down, you know? Shadow and Cream were down the hall, so it didn't get _that_ bad or anything, but... I don't think I've ever heard Vanilla raise her voice."

Espio hummed low in his throat, expressing his understanding.

"Just give her time," he advised. "It's unlikely that it'll be easy for her. She's spent a lot of years putting it off, from what I understand. Not to mention that it's sudden and a few weeks away from a large event, so the added stress should be taken into account. I also advise you to be more... _gentle_ next time. I doubt that one will go well, either."

"Hey, who says I wasn't gentle?"

Raising an eyebrow and settling his mouth into a straight line, Espio gave him a deadpan stare. Vector stared him down for a moment before conceding and glancing away sheepishly.

"Okay, okay, I get your point," he said, leaning over his hands on the steering wheel. "I know it ain't easy, okay? And I don't want to ruin any relationship I have with her, but... _this_ whole thing is coming up, and _we_ don't know who's gonna be there! You can't keep the kid in the dark forever, right? And if he doesn't get it from _her_ , then who _is_ he gonna learn it from?"

Espio skillfully caught Vector's gesturing hand in his own, grabbing the Croc's attention. He gently weaved their fingers together as best as he could, his thumb caressing a small trail of reassurance into the back of Vector's glove. Carefully did he lock his eyes with his husband's own goldenrod ones, keeping his gaze steady and his face composed as ever.

Still, there was love there, even if it wasn't always inherently visible.

"I know," Espio said carefully, slowly, softer than he meant to. "And I'm with you on that. It's good to see you care for him so much, even though you don't need to."  
There didn't need to be any redness to Vector's cheeks to show that he was flustered, what with the way he quickly averted his gaze and scratched at the back of his neck. A soft smile graced Espio's face, and he brought their hands slightly closer to himself. Even after so long, Vector still got flustered around him.

It's a wonder they ever actually made it to the altar.

"You can hide it, but you're soft beneath those scales of yours," he said, slowly pulled away and sitting back properly in his seat.

"W-well, yeah, I-I mean there's kind of just skin and meat under them-"

"Vector, you _know_ that's not what I meant."

"Sure, but, like-"

Espio's head perked up at the fast-approaching presence of a hyperactive spirit.

"Oh," he said, "there he is."

"Huh?"

The backseat door flew open with a loud and swift greeting, causing both of them to jump in their seats and shift with the van as it lurched ever so slightly. Espio's scales briefly turned light pink, and Vector let go of his hand to whirl around and glare at Charmy, who was clambering into the backseat with a large jar of honey and an envelope in hand.

"Charmy!" he scolded. "Warn us next time, don't just come bargin' in!"

"You guys bein' gay again?" Charmy asked, utterly unphased by Vector's scolding by now and pulling the door closed behind him.

"We are literally married, Charmy," Espio reminded him, now back to his usual purple color. "We're always gay."

"Yeah, but are you bein', like, gay gay?" he asked, a smug lilt to his tone.

"...I don't even know what that means."

"And _I_ don't like the vaguely suggestive implications of that statement, mister!" said Vector, cutting in sharply before the Bee could answer.

"Hey, _I_ didn't say anything!" Charmy countered, a playful smile on his face as did up his seat belt in the middle. " _You're_ the one making it sound that way!"

"Maybe not, but you were thinkin' it!" Vector argued, and then waved it off with a large hand. "Eh, whatever. You got the honey?"

"Clearly."

"Cheque?"

"A-yup." He held it up in one hand and handed it to the Croc, who took it and passed it to Espio, who put it in a small compartment of the glove box.

"Dignity?"

"Why would I need to still have that?"

"'Cause we're detectives, Charmy, we gotta act like we want people to respect us!"

"Oh! Then, uh..." The Bee visibly spaced out for a minute, and Espio raised an eyebrow first at him and then Vector. Before long, the kid snapped out of it and nodded. "Yeah, I got it! I think..."

"Good!" Vector exclaimed before turning around to face the steering wheel. "Now, let's get goin'!"

"Check your mirrors."

"Gotcha."

It didn't take long before they were off, dirt and dust kicking up behind them as they made their way back to the road, bumping up and down across the landscape all the way.

Charmy chattered away in the backseat, sometimes to himself and other times to them, describing his brief visit to the Hive as well as every thought that passed through his mind, holding the large jar of honey with his feet so it wouldn't tip over onto the floor. He and Vector bickered every now and again, with Espio supplying the occasional thought, quiet, but not ignored.

Watching and listening to them, Espio couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips.

His family sure was something.

~~~*~~~

###### Soleanna

Anna usually liked to think of herself as being closest to the Duchess. Closest to her out of the rest of the servants and staff, anyway. Aside from Sophia, she was most commonly at the Duchess' side, tending to her whims where she was able and assuring her safety to the best of her ability. And even though her power didn't extend very far, she was still filled with regrets and embarrassment about the various Robotnik kidnappings over seven years ago.

Thus, she had made it her duty in the time following to keep careful watch of the Duchess. She had even gone as far as to track her schedule down to 30-minute intervals a few years ago before Elise had assured her that she needn't be so paranoid.

So she had relaxed as much as she was able, attending the Duchess between political assemblies and meetings and other activities, but still allowing her time alone when permitted. The whiteness of her clenched fists during these periods was evident. Yet, neither Sophia nor anyone else had ever commented on it, and Anna didn't deign it worthy of noting herself.

Today happened to be one of the days that Elise was granted some overall free time, save for a brief meeting of the Council scheduled for later that evening. It was a small recess from her duties before she would soon be swamped with growing preparations for her departure to the Mobian U.Z.A. And Anna, while hesitant, was willing to let her enjoy it. 

Currently, she found herself treading aimlessly through the halls with Sophia at her side, going over Elise's upcoming schedule in as much detail as she could, reciting everything she knew. Sophia walked dutifully at her side, occasionally throwing questions her way and asking for clarification where she was confused - which was quite a lot of places.

While she had never regarded Sophia as the brightest of people, she was certainly good to bounce ideas off of, even with as many incessant questions as she tended to offer. She was reliable, if nothing else.

"So, there's nothing planned for today, then?" Sophia asked gently, peering over Anna's shoulder at the schedule in her hands.

"No," Anna said curtly, flipping back to the page for that day. "Only one event in the evening, which is private and relatively informal, considering the Council. She has the rest of the day off to do as she pleases." A thought then occurred to her, and her brows furrowing as she patted around her skirt for the pocket watch she usually kept on hand. "Speaking of which... what time is it?"

"Um..." Sophia hummed to herself before exclaiming, "oh, it's 11:20!" 

Anna looked at the other Lady in Waiting, following her hand to where she pointed to a clock on the wall. Briefly, she berated herself for not noticing it before yet another thought struck.

"11:20..." she echoed, confused. "That's strange; Lady Elise never sleeps this late."

"Maybe she's already up and didn't want to bother us?" Sophia suggested with an uncertain smile on her face.

"Perhaps..." Anna mused. That was definitely something the Duchess did at times, always self-conscious of troubling others even after her growth in self-worth and self-esteem. The two of them still insisted it was their pleasure to serve her, and it was, but she never seemed convinced. 

Sighing, Anna shook her head.

"I'll go to wake her, anyway," she said, making her way back down the hall the way they had come. "Make sure lunch is ready, and one of the sitting rooms prepared, alright? Come and find me when you do."

"Okay!"

The two of them split up, Anna briskly following the path to Elise's private chambers and gave the Guards a cursory nod before knocking and slowly opening the door.  
"Lady Elise?" Anna called as she entered, leaving the door slightly ajar and noting that the drapes were still closed, light just barely spilling in around them. Anna sighed again through her nose and marched over to them, pulling them aside to allow the day in.

"My Lady, it's nearly noon," she said, tying the curtains with deft fingers. "I know you have most of the day off, but you can't spend it all slee-"

Anna had turned to the bed to address Elise, but... she wasn't there. The bed was perfectly made as if it hadn't been disturbed since yesterday, not a wrinkle out of place.

So, then why had the curtains still been drawn? It was an entirely different set of servants who usually did that, she knew, and Elise didn't like having anyone trailing behind her when she went to retire. Hence, most of the staff typically left her alone. 

Perhaps it was as Sophia had suggested, and she _was_ already awake and out for the day and didn't want to "bother" them? It wasn't unlikely.

"Lady Elise?" Anna called again just in case, wandering around the room and checking the attached bathroom and closet but finding no trace of the Duchess in them. Pursing her lips, Anna left the room and closed the door behind her, turning to the guards at either side.

"Did either of you see the Duchess leave her rooms this morning?" she asked them, a tightness growing in her chest that she had not felt in a long time.

The guards both looked at her, confused at first, before shaking their heads.

"No, we haven't," said one. "But we only got here at nine; someone else was on the nightshift, so maybe she left before then."

Hurried footsteps pattered across the stone floor, and Anna looked down the hall to see Sophia gently hurrying up to her.

"What is it?" she asked as the other girl stopped before her, breath heaving ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry, but," Sophia began, "when I went to the kitchens to tell them to start making lunch, they said something about how Lady Elise hadn't eaten breakfast yet. W-which isn't unusual or anything, but she usually does, doesn't she?"

"Yes..." Anna said slowly, "she does." Usually, anyway.

"Well, I-I wanted to check to see if she was already up, so I went to the Chamberlain and asked him if he'd seen at all today, and he... said that he hadn't. And that none of his staff have, either."

Oh.

Oh, no.

"Is something wrong, Lady Anna?" asked one of the guards.

Anna paused, her gaze landing on the floor while an icy feeling began to settle in her stomach. Her throat felt tight, but she swallowed it down and steadily lifting her head, fighting to keep herself from shaking.

"I don't know," she admitted, looking to the guard on her left. "I need the two of you to look for the Duchess. Check every floor and every room, but do _not_ let anyone else know that something may be wrong. We don't know anything for certain. I'll check the rest of this floor. You," she said to Sophia, "come with me."

The two of them marched down the hall, the sound of the guards rushed footsteps echoing behind them. Anna pressed her mouth into a tight line, already feeling the sweat starting to form at her brow, but she was unsure if it was the heat.

"Anna?" Sophia gently called, but Anna did not look at her. "Is everything okay? W-what do you think it is? What's happening?"

"I don't know," she said, her jaw set firmly. "I just hope it isn't what I fear it is."

Sophia said nothing else and followed Anna as they checked room after room on that floor, hurrying to and fro and barley sparing a glance to any of the staff that regarded them with concern. Every room was empty but for staff and servants and Council members, void of the Duchess and her welcoming presence.

She wasn't there.

She wasn't _anywhere_.

"She's not in here, either," said Sophia as she closed the door to yet another room. "Isn't that the entire floor?"

It _was_ the entire floor: every chamber and storage room and bath they could find. Anna bit the inside of her cheek, wracking her brain for where else they could check that didn't include where she had already sent people. But where else?

Rushed footsteps pounded toward them, and they both looked to see the guards from earlier hurrying up. They stopped and heaved breathlessly, sweat pouring from their faces and making Anna just barely conceal a wince of sympathy.

"Well?" she asked, willing them to stand up straight and give her an answer as soon as possible.

"We checked everywhere, Lady," said one of them, shaking his head. "Everywhere we could think. We couldn't find her."

"Some of the mechanics down in the landing bay said they saw her yesterday when she was saying goodbye to her Mobian friends," the other offered, wiping his face with a handkerchief he had pulled from his jacket pocket. "But that's the last they saw of her. One of the nearby staff also said they saw her running down the hallway yesterday, but..." he shrugged helplessly. "They didn't know where she was going. Said it looked like she was in a hurry."

Running... in a hurry... wait.

"I know where she was going," said Anna, before turning and immediately hurrying down the hall, the others rushing to keep in pace behind her.

"Anna, where are we going?" Sophia asked, falling into step with her while the guards hunkered behind them. "What are you thinking about?" 

"The one place she _would_ go, and the one place I can _bet_ no one has checked," she said, taking a flight of stairs two at a time to the next floor. "She doesn't like to be there very often, but she _still_ goes there, and it's the most likely place."

"Where?" Sophia asked again, but Anna didn't answer as she turned swiftly down the corridor and made a beeline for the small staircase. Sophia gave a sound of recognition behind her, but Anna paid it no mind as she hurriedly ascended, eyes set on the doors at the top while footsteps echoed all around.

Anna burst through the doors of the Solaris Chamber, stopping a few steps in while the others crowded in behind her, the light from outside illuminating the small, cold space as much as it could. Which, admittedly, was not much.

"Lady Elise?" Anna called, her voice echoing back at her off the marble and stone walls. She stepped further into the room, the soles of her boots tapping against the floors and sending out ominous ripples of sound. Her eyes wandered to and fro, falling only briefly on the empty Altar at the end of the room, searching for any sign of the Duchess.

But she wasn't there.

"I don't get it," Anna said aloud, strained and aching with anxiety, fingers running through her short bangs. "Where _is_ she?"

"Anna," Sophia spoke cautiously, and Anna turned to look at her.

"What?" she asked, brows furrowing when she found Sophia gently kneeling on the floor with her back to her, reaching forward with one hand to pick up something.

"What is it?" Anna asked again, watching as Sophia slowly stood, examining the unseen object in her grasp. She was silent, eerily so, and she and Guards watched as Sophia slowly turned around, her gaze never leaving the item in her hand. Finally, she looked at Anna, a hollow look set upon her eyes that sent a shiver down her own spine. Sophia held it up.

A feather sat between the pinch of her fingers, white and wilted but so very familiar. Anna slowly looked down at Sophia's feet and spotted several more feathers scattered about the floor. A heavy stone sank in her stomach, and she closed her eyes, burning with shame.

"Dammit," Anna cursed through gritted teeth, nails digging into her palms and shoulders shaking.

This couldn't be happening. This _couldn't_ be happening, not _again_ , not after so many years of fighting to keep the Duchess safe and working to make up for their failure the first time around.

But, either way, here they were. 

"What do you want us to do, Lady Anna?" one of the guards asked, and she looked at them - judging by their eyes, they had come to the same conclusion she had.  
She didn't answer for several moments, chewing at the inside of her cheek. She watched, from the corner of her eye, as Sophia gently tucked the feather into the pocket of her skirt.

Think. _Think_.

"Everything you can," she said, at last, pushing her glasses up on her nose and marching past both of the Guards and back down the stairs. Several pairs of footsteps followed after her, but she didn't wait for them to catch up as they descended down the hall, the light from the archway-windows mocking her in her plight.

"Notify the rest of the Guard," she ordered, the rest of them following behind her with eager ears. "The Duchess is missing. There is no sign of where she could have gone, but we do _not_ jump to conclusions before we've assured that she is not anywhere within the Castle grounds or the city limits." She raised a finger for emphasis. "Sophia and I will confer with Lord Regis and the rest of the Council, and I want to speak to the Captain of Guard as soon as he is able. The rest of you will _not_ let this get out to the public under _any_ circumstances. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady," said both guards in tandem.

"Then go."

Their hurried footsteps echoed, ringing in her ears and making her temples sting with an oncoming headache. 

"Anna," Sophia spoke, moving to match her stride, "what are we going to do?"

It had only been less than an hour since she had first suspected something, but she sincerely wished everyone would stop asking her that.

"I don't know," she admitted, shaking her head and willing away the burn of frustration. "But we'll figure it out. We need to cover all of our bases and assure that she is nowhere in the city. Lord Regis will have a better sense of what to do."

"But what if he doesn't?" Sophia asked, and Anna was hoping she wouldn't be faced with that question because she _didn't have an answer_.

Once more, she shook her head.

"I'm sure he will," she insisted, not knowing if she even believed herself. "He's the acting Regent in times of crisis. He _will_ know, and then we-"

She never finished her sentence because the Earth lurched violently beneath them and began to _shake_. 

And _kept_ shaking.

A startled cry ripped from Anna's throat as she was thrown onto the floor, her forehead colliding with smooth marble and just barely catching herself with both hands. Identical cries and screams of fear rang from all around her, and a frightening _roar_ filled her ears with deafening rage. She covered them with both hands, gritting her teeth as she rolled onto her back and fought to keep herself there while the Castle quaked around them. 

Sophia's cry of her name was muffled before the shriek of shattering glass filled the air, and she instinctively curled onto her side as shards rained down upon her from one of the windows-

The windows that were _floor-length_ and led out to a sheer _cliff_ of stone.

 _Shit_.

Frantically, Anna looked ahead to the opposite wall and crawled, trying to distance herself from the windows as much as she could. Pain throbbed through her wrists and palms as glass sunk into her skin and scraped at her clothing. 

Something _screeched_ and _bellowed_ , a sound she could hardly comprehend and could never imagine in her darkest dreams. Anna looked at where it had come from. Wide eyes witnessed a bright blaze of blue and orange and _white_ , illuminating the walls across from the Solaris Chamber, where it seeped through the still-open doors and crackled with fierce vexation.

Rumbling, cracking, tearing, _rupturing_ exploded in her head, and she wasn't sure if the screaming was coming from her or someone else. Anna squeezed her eyes shut, lowering her gaze and bringing her arms close to her body, curling herself into a tight ball of pain and frightened tears. 

Briefly, she wondered if this was how she would die.

Then everything stopped.

Anna's breath heaved loudly through the ringing that overwhelmed her sense, her guts churning in her stomach and veins prickling beneath her skin. The stinging in her arms and legs were second to the pounding in her temples, and it took every ounce of effort she could muster to pry her eyes open.

The brightness of daylight was the first thing she saw, and she blinked furiously, carefully rolling herself to face the ceiling and propping herself up on her elbow to observe her surroundings. 

Shattered glass lay scattered about the floor all along the hall, unfiltered sunlight pouring in through open windows. Sophia sat some distance away, her back pressed firmly against one of the small spaces between each window, her face pale and streaked with tears that continued to fall from her eyes. Several weeping scratches littered her cheeks, blood streaking onto her skin when she tried to wipe her face. Slowly did Sophia unfurl herself from where she sat and slid herself away from the windows, glass shards shifting across the floor around her. Groans and cries echoed up and down the halls. Various staff members slowly picking themselves and others up; some continued to lay where they were, struck numb by the shaking that still rumbled in their bellies. A harsh breath punched itself from Anna's mouth, and she swallowed the thick bile that had risen in her throat, pushing herself to a sitting position through gritted teeth.

Sophia immediately came to help her, ignoring the glass that crunched beneath her shoes and taking Anna by the elbow, mindful of the cuts and scrapes that lined her pale arms. Anna gripped Sophia's own arms tightly, fighting to orient herself on trembling legs that threatened to give way. 

"Is..." Anna began but cut herself short as her breath caught in her throat, choking her. Sophia's grip tightened, nimble fingers grasping her shoulder. Clearing her throat, Anna dared to start again.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked, her voice quieter than she wanted and shakier than she would've expected.

"I think so," Sophia replied softly, swallowing through the tears so evident in her speech. "I mean... Yeah, I think so."

Anna just nodded, bringing one hand up to will away the persistent throbbing that lingered in her skull.

"What was that?" she hissed, bringing her eyes up to Sophia. She looked even more pitiful up close, with bloodshot scleras and white lips and stained skin.

"I... I-I don't know..." she replied helplessly. Anna nodded again, bringing her hand down to her side.

"Fine, just... Just make sure everyone's alrigh-"

That's when she finally heard the screaming.

It was distant, quiet at first, but it rose steadily into a symphony of shredded voices from both far and near, and a cold needle of dread stabbed into her throat. Sophia heard it, too, her grip on Anna's shoulder tensing and her short nails digging through the cloth.

A loud sizzling noise permeated the air, accompanied by crackles and bangs, and both of their gazes immediately went to the windows - it was coming from outside, and the screaming was, too.

Anna ripped herself away from Sophia's grip, stumbling carelessly over to the open the nearest window, the sizzling growing louder and louder. The sharp cacophony of glass underfoot rang throughout the hall as others did the same, gasps of horror following in their wake as they bore witness to the sky. Sophia gave a strangled cry that was quickly muffled by her blood-stained hand, and Anna-

Anna couldn't say anything. She merely stood there, cut hands grasping the edge of the walls in an iron grip, mouth agape, throat tight, eyes wide at the horror before them.

The sky was illuminated with a translucent, pearly white sheen, all-encompassing and terrifying. Slowly, steadily, the pearly white gave way to nothing by blue sky, dissolving and melting before their very eyes, sizzling away like it were nothing.

The Shield was falling.

No.

Oh, dear Solaris, _no_.

"This isn't happening..." Sophia whispered desperately, voice trembling and cracking, "this isn't happening, it _can't_ be."

Yet here they were.

Swallowing heavily, Anna tore her eyes away from the sky and looked down towards the city from where the screaming rose, cries of terror filling the air like a terrible song. She choked as she saw the disaster it lay in, buildings toppled and people filling the streets, ant-like specks fleeing from the canals and- oh, the _canals_.

Anna saw it clear as day - an open fissure right down the center of the canals, stretched from the Castle all the way to the Sun Festival Pyre, bridges and walkways torn apart by the sheer force of it. The Pyre had crumbled in on itself, half-submerged by the ground that had opened up underneath it. Water was now steadily rushing into the fissure with no sign of stopping, slowly draining the water from canals and from the endless sea that surrounded them.

The pain in her arms and legs had receded, replaced with a numbness she couldn't recall from anywhere. Gently, Anna shook her head, knowing exactly what all of it meant.

"No..." she croaked, stumbling back from the window and landing roughly on her behind, her fall remedied only by Sophia's careful and reflexive grip. But Anna paid her no mind, slowly sinking the rest of the way to the ground.

"God, _no_..."

The muffled sound of circling helicopters filled the air, and Anna let it carry her into nothingness.

~~~*~~~

######  New Mobotropolis

" _Princess_!!"

Oak-wood slammed against the wall, a metal doorknob surely leaving a dent. Sally jumped in her seat, whirling around to face the interruption, the entire room following her gaze. Marianne of the Royal Guard stood in the doorway, eyes wide with panic and chest heaving, breaths labored to an unhealthy degree. Everyone in the Conference Room watched her, but the Racoon continued to only look at Sally, mouth opening and closed with strangled sounds, struggling to get words out. But, sure enough, she did, just barely managing to form a full sentence.

"There's... t-there's a thing... A thing you need to see! Urgent! I-it's urgent!" She pointed out the door aimlessly to emphasize her point.

Confused, Sally furrowed her eyebrows, glancing first at Bunnie beside her, then at the screen where President Mansley was displayed, an equally startled look on his face. She gave a small, nervous smile before looking at Marianne, trying to settle her face into one of impatience.

"Marianne..." she began. "Thank you, but... I'm currently in the middle of something. It's _important_."

"So is _this_!" Marianne insisted through desperate breaths, and Sally was concerned, for a moment, if she was going to pass out or not. "Please, it's..." Brown eyes glanced at the screen behind Sally before going back to her. "It's about Soleanna."

Now _that_ caught her attention. She looked Marianne in the eye slowly, schooling into face into collected stoicism, standing stock still as a shiver passed over her skin.

"What _about_ Soleanna?"

From behind her, the President cleared his throat.

"Oh, my apologies, Princess Sally," Mansley said, drawing Sally's gaze back to him, where he was currently being pulled away by the Secretary with whispered words. His dark eyes glanced between her and Sally, and the princess had a sneaking suspicion on the connection. "I-it appears I, um... Have to address something urgent that just came up, according to Christina."

"That's quite alright, Mr. President," she responded, glancing back at Marianne, who twitched with constant anxiety.

"I'm sure we can reconvene at a later time," said the President, putting on a small smile. Simultaneously, a commotion arose in the background, slipping in through his open office door. "As soon as, uh... this gets cleared up. W-whatever this happens to be, um... yes."

Sally nodded, understanding. His discomfort was mirrored in her herself.

"Thank you, Mr. President."

Nothing more was said before the line was cut off, the President and his office disappearing from view. Sally sighed heavily before walking towards Marianne at the door, Bunnie following at her side.

"This better be important," she grumbled aloud, and Marianne nodded, eagerly leading them out of the room and urging them down the hall.

She had said it was about Soleanna but hadn't specified exactly what that meant, likely for fear of causing the President any alarm. Then the President himself had been drawn away by his Secretary for an "urgent matter" he needed to address. Dread grew in Sally's stomach, fed by every step they took towards the foyer, the anxious chattering of multiple bodies growing closer and closer. 

Soleanna had an excellent track record with many things, but the safety of the people, and safety of the Monarch, was not necessarily one of them. That reputation had been damaged severely by the multiple kidnappings that Robotnik had initiated seven years ago. Although not a single incident had arisen since, the city still wasn't the most well-regarded in security, especially being in such a vulnerable space, on an island where the people had almost nowhere to run to.

But it had been _years_ without incident. There was no way that Elise would allow-

The group of them burst into the foyer, drawing the attention of the rest of the inhabitants, consisting of what looked to be almost the entire castle staff. They were gathered at one end, crowded around the multiple television screens that were kept on at all hours of the day for ease of access. Sally furrowed her brows, looking at the faces that parted for her and Bunnie and the Guard, leading them forward to the screens covered in a flurry of movement and headlines. They came to the front of the group, directly in front of the largest display, and froze.

Sally heard the sudden punch of air from her lungs more than she felt it, eyes wide and unable to do anything but stare. Beside her, Bunnie gasped audibly and covered her mouth with a metal hand.

"My stars..." she cursed, and Sally almost laughed out of shock.

The capital city of Soleanna was displayed upon the monitor, ravaged and ruined, with toppled buildings and a large, gaping fissure spreading from the front of the Castle all the way down the canals to the Sun Festival Pyre, splitting it cleanly in two and burying it into the ground. Torrents of water rushed into the fissure, slowly draining from the canals and the ocean surrounding the city. But while that was a given, Sally was taken aback by the sight of the Shield - pearly white, translucent and glittering in the light of the sun - slowly dissolving around the city, stripping away until it would, eventually, be left fully exposed.

The news reporter's voice babbled over the screen, explaining everything with a frustrating, methodical calm. It was an earthquake from nowhere, too sudden and fierce to have prepared for, ripping the city open down the center. And, of course, the fall of the Shield - something that _could_ have any explanation, but, in the end, would only have one.

Although she knew it in her head and in her heart, Sally feared precisely what that answer could be.

"Oh, no..."

~~~

Vanilla, Big, Amy, and Cream all gaped at the television, staring at the screen with barely concealed shock at the scene playing out before them. The news report was lost on their ears.

Slowly, Amy shook her head, licking her lips and looking between her friends and the screen.

"This can't be happening," she said, the hysteria lining her voice twisting in the air. "It can't be. It _shouldn't_ be!"

"So then _why_ is it?" Cream asked, pulling on her ears as Cheese cooed nervously beside her. "I thought Soleanna was safe? That Ms. Elise was supposed to keep the Shield up and protect everybody!"

"Is everybody okay there?" Big asked gently, looking at their friends.

"She _is_ supposed to," Amy answered Cream, confusion wracking her face, unable to pull her eyes away from the display. "There's no way she'd just... let it _fall_! It _should_ stay up as long as she's there, unless..." 

Amy's voice dissipated into the air, the edge in it evident.

"I don't have an answer for you girls," spoke Vanilla, tone scarily even and calm. All eyes went to her, finding her face drawn into something much more severe than they had ever seen from her, gaze hard, and mouth pulled into a soft line.

"I don't have an answer," she repeated, "but if I had to guess..." She looked at them, and they fought the urge to wilt under what they were faced with. "I'd say someone has made their move."

~~~

The radio faired no better, the news playing on every station it could possibly get to, blaring loudly throughout the van and sticking each of the Chaotix to their seats.

"Wait, that..." Charmy began, faltering in his words, poking his head between the two front seats, staring the radio down with wide eyes. "That's not right. That can't be right... right?" 

In place of an answer, Espio half-lunged and grabbed onto the steering wheel, pulling the van back onto the road as it began to veer off coarse and startling Vector out of his shock in the process.

"Eyes on the road," he mumbled sharply, his voice barely audible over the news reporter speaking at them through the radio system. Vector shook himself, readjusting his grip on the wheel and watching the road ahead, but not without a cursory glance at Espio. Espio didn't look back at him and instead started rubbing at his wrists with soft fingers. The metal of the wedding bracelet passed under his fingertips, grounding him more than he would usually care to admit.

"Guys?" Charmy asked again, his small wings buzzing gently in the air, indicating that he had clearly undone his seatbelt to talk to them. "What are we gonna do?"

There was a silence between them for a moment. Then, in perfect synchronicity, both Vector and Espio looked at Charmy, who looked between both of them with wide, curious, but worried eyes. The two reptiles looked away from him and, instead, at each other, searching for something they knew they would find. Then, without waiting for his silent answer, Espio turned back to the road ahead.

"Simple," he said. "We're going to help."

A small smile crossed Charmy's face, and Vector nodded as he looked back at the road.

"Well, in that case," said the Crocodile, adjusting his headphones briefly, "we'd better high-tail it to the capital. Buckle up, Charmy!"

"But we're _miles_ away right now!" said Charmy, obediently hovering back into his seat and doing up his seatbelt. "We're not gonna get there until at _least_ tonight!"

"Oh yes, we will," Vector assured him, and shifted in his seat in a way that had Espio paling in anticipation. "Once I kick it into... _maximum overdrive_!"

Vector slammed his foot on the gas, and both Espio and Charmy were thrown back in their seats as the van lurched. Then it zooming forward all at once, the landscape zipping by and rocks audibly kicking up behind it in their haste.

Over Charmy's pleased laughter in the backseat, Espio clung onto the edge of his own with every bounce and rattle of the vehicle encasing them. Grinding his teeth together, he sent a half-hearted glare Vector's way.

"Vector, I will go to jail for _a lot_ of things, but I will _not_ go to jail for reckless driving!"

"You're not even the one driving, Espio!"

"Yeah, and don't forget! For better or for worse!"

"You are _so_ lucky I love you..."

~~~*~~~

###### The University of Spagonia

The commotion outside of Professor Pickle's lab had quickly drawn their attention, pulling them out of the confines of the room. They ended up following the rush of students and other professors and staff making their way towards the main lobby, confusion evident in their haste. Sonic and Tails rushed ahead of Antoine, Simon, and the Professor, concern and the readiness to fight propelling them forward.

But what they saw was not what they had expected, stopping them in their tracks on the 1st balcony of the main lobby, where hundreds of students and teachers were gathered. Three floors high and broader than parts of Castle Acorn, it easily fit the majority of the student body and staff. A pit of bodies flooded the ground floor, while countless more lined the three balconies and crowded the stairs and doorways. All attention was focused entirely on the TV monitors set up high on the walls, scattered about for practicality. Despite the commotion from moments earlier, the entire room was eerily silent.

Soleanna, ravaged and ruined by the earth itself, was displayed on every screen, the Shield dissolving before their eyes on a continuous loop as the muffled voices of news reporters overlapped one another. 

Sonic and Tails barely heard Antoine, Simon, and Pickle come up behind them, too shocked to respond to their concerned whispers that soon fell into quiet. Small noises began to pick up in the room, phones buzzing in pockets and tearful cries of concern and fear, breathless murmurings, and shaky denials. Mobians and Humans alike turned between the screens and each other, fear the only commonality between them all.

"While the capital currently lies in disarray and information is extremely limited, there has, so far, been no reports of casualties in the incident," said a news reporter over the mutterings of the room. "Although, from the current state of Soleanna's Shield, it is difficult to say whether or not the Duchess's safety and security can be assured."

"Sweet Gaia..." Professor Pickle mumbled thoughtlessly, voice breathless and soft.

Tails looked at him, and then at Antoine, who gazed back at him helplessly, one hand brought up to his ear in an age-old nervous habit. 

"You think it's Eggman?" Sonic asked suddenly, and Tails turned to him. His fingers gripped the balcony's railing tightly, nearly shaking with the effort, and his entire body was drawn into a tense bearing that Tails... couldn't quite place. Still, he knew it had to be upsetting.

Tails' gaze went back to the screen, his brows furrowing together, and shook his head. 

"It couldn't be," he said, bringing his loosely clenched fingers near his mouth in thought. "Eggman's never been super discreet. He always brings an entire airship to everything or _at least_ makes a bigger deal out of it than _this_. If it was him, he'd probably _be_ there where people can see him. Either way, nobody should be able to get through the Shield, but..."

"I don't think that'll be a problem anymore, mon ami," Antoine commented nervously, biting at his lip.

Tails suppressed a sigh but nodded. 

No. It definitely wouldn't be a problem to get through the Shield anymore, especially now that it _wasn't there_. The three didn't need to say what they thought because they had all come to the same conclusion. Elise would never let the Shield fall as long as she could help it; she would sooner die than let that happen and willingly leave her people vulnerable. And if there was one real thing about her, it was that she was unyielding, strong-willed to a fault.

The Communicator on Tails' wrist buzzed, releasing a soft pinging sound that drew the attention of both their small group and several people around them. Quickly, Tails pushed back through the crowd the same way they had come, the others following close behind him. He quickly glanced at the small screen.

 **SALLY** was displayed across the screen in bold white letters, and Tails didn't hesitate before pulling up the holographic display once they were a fair distance away from everyone.

The connection finally went through, and Sally appeared on the screen, noticeably frazzled with Bunnie gently peering over her shoulder but primarily focused on something else they couldn't see. Sally's hair was frizzy from her hands running through it, and her eyes held a shadow that, strangely enough, didn't seem to have anything to do with exhaustion. Her jaw was clenched, and Tails was almost positive that she was grinding her teeth together.

"Sally?" he called lightly, the others gathering around him.

Sally's gaze went to him, then offscreen, and stayed there. 

"Are you watching the same thing we are?" she asked, voice surprisingly composed despite her subtle appearance.

"If you mean Soleanna's Shield coming down after an earthquake, then yeah," Tails answered. "Or at least we were, anyway."

"This _shouldn't_ be happening," said Sally, repeating what everyone in the world was thinking. "If I remember correctly, the Shield should _only_ come down either when Elise commands it to or when she's gone for a long time and can't keep it up anymore. And neither of those make sense; you only saw her _yesterday_. The only other way it would come down is if she-"

"Sally." 

Sally cut herself off, finally looking at the screen as if realizing where she was. Tails glanced at Sonic from the corner of his eye and saw him return the gesture before looking away.

"I-" Sally tried, but paused, and swallowed heavily before shaking her said. "S-sorry, I... I'm getting ahead of myself."

"Don't worry about it," Tails assured. "You're stressed. I get it."

"Right, uh... is Sonic with you?"

"Right here, Sal," said the Hedgehog, and Tails turned the screen just enough so she could see him. Sally nodded.

"Alright. I know this is all super sudden, and I know you have a schedule, but... I want the two of you to go back to Soleanna to investigate. Make sure Elise is alright, and, if she isn't, try and figure out what happened. There... there might not be much there, but the people of Soleanna _know_ you two as her friends. They shouldn't have problems with you asking questions."

"We'll be right on it!"

"You can count on us, Sal," Sonic chimed in, throwing in a forced but frighteningly convincing smile.

"I know I can," she said. "And if this _is_ Robotnik... then we'll know."

With that, they closed the call.

Tails couldn't say he was looking forward to a whole trip back to Soleanna, but he supposed desperate times called for desperate measures. And Sally was right - the people would be more willing to answer _their_ questions than they would be to answer anyone else's. Though, there was still the question of Elise...  
He shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside for now, before looking up at Professor Pickle. 

"Are you gonna be okay, Professor?" he asked. "You're supposed to be leaving pretty soon with the President... but it might be better if you and her stay in Spagonia for now. At least until this clears up."

Immediately, Professor Pickle waved a kindly dismissive hand at him.

"Oh, nonsense!" he exclaimed. "I've been planning on this trip for a long while, and I'm not about to let this ruin the moment! We'll be going to Mobius, and that's not about to change."

"And _I_ will be there to make sure," Antoine reassured, hand to his chest and determination in his eyes. "I will put down my life before I let anything happen to them!"

"Um, I-I'm pretty sure it's _lay down_ ," Simon corrected timidly, and Antoine merely shrugged.

"Same potato to me," he said. "It's the thought that counts, no?" 

Tails couldn't help but shake his head with a smile, and he heard Sonic barely suppress a laugh. 

"Besides," Professor Pickle continued, "you two should go check on your friend and make sure she's alright. Maria and I will be fine on our way."

Tails looked between Antoine, Simon, and the Professor, before looking at his brother. Sonic smirked lightly at him, giving a small thumbs up.

"Alright," he said, "be careful."

"We will."

The brothers ran off, following the path that would take them back to the Tornado, their friends watching as they disappeared around the corner, and their departure faded into silence.

~~~*~~~

###### Central City

Naturally, the news was playing on every television screen in the White House, both public and private. The volume had been turned down in the waiting room after the initial shock and commotion, but the display still flashed with the same images and headlines it had been covered with for the last three hours or so. While most people had diverted their attention elsewhere, natural apathy for things they couldn't control setting in, some still kept their eyes on it. Rouge just happened to be one of them.

Head propped in the hand that perched on the arm of the couch, she sat there and watched it with impassivity, legs crossed casually before her. To her left, Omega sat just far away enough to leave her some room to move, otherwise taking up the rest of the couch with his bulky form. He had earned various bewildered glances from multiple people when they had arrived earlier, but nobody was paying him much mind anymore. Rouge couldn't tell if he was watching the news still or not, but she didn't bother to ask.

Instead, she huffed quietly through her nose.

"Well," she began, her voice breaking the quiet of the room, "looks like we'll probably be having some setbacks for the Coronation. Can't imagine we'll still be going with the original plan after _this_."

"Unlikely," Omega responded, drawing her attention. "Duchess Vianello's presence at Princess Sally's Coronation was, to my memory banks, never regarded as 100% vital. There should be no reason for the plans to change."

Rouge smiled crookedly, her dark blue lipstick stark against her tanned skin.

"Maybe not," she said, "but it's not always about statistics, big guy. You know what the history with Soleanna and Elise is; you were _there_. And knowing how they are in New Mobotropolis, they'll probably end up taking it as some sort of omen. Could call for the whole thing getting postponed, even."

"Also unlikely," said Omega. "Due to the size, nature, and the international importance of the event, the act of postponing would be greatly frowned upon and potentially send an unwanted message. Worldwide morale could be impacted as a result. Therefore, it is improbable that it shall be postponed."

Rouge considered that for a moment before simply shrugging.

"Eh, you're probably right," she conceded. "Still... it'll probably cause some problems along the way."

"Indubitable."

The waiting room door opened before either of them could say anything else. Rouge looked over to see a dark-skinned woman with long, curly hair and square-rimmed glasses peering in. She was dressed in a beige and white suit, a tablet cradled expertly in one hand while the other loosely gripped the doorknob. Scanning the room, her dark brown eyes landed on Rouge, and Christina smiled with a flash of deep red lipstick.

"Ms. Rouge," spoke the President's Secretary, "the President will see you now." 

Smiling back, Rouge stood and stretched her wings out behind her, flexing them casually as she walked up to her friend. The backless jumpsuit she currently sported was well-suited for her, navy blue with a halter neckline and bootcut pantlegs. She had carefully paired it with a set of navy blue elbow-length gloves, white knee-high boots, and a thin white belt cinched around the waist. 

If nothing else, she always preferred to feel pretty when meeting with higher-ups that had a tendency to get on her nerves. Not that she ever felt not-pretty, but it was all the same in her mind.

"Thanks, Chrissy," she said, Omega following behind her as they made their way through the door. "Glad Mr. Mansley could make time for me, all things considering."  
Christina smiled at that, leading them down the hallway, heels clicking on the tile floor as she wrote something on the tablet with a stylus.

"Well, we always try our best to give our agents some form of priority," she said. "Even in times in crisis, I'm sure we could make time for the best of the best."

"Aww, I'm flattered!" Rouge replied, smirking with a hand on her chest in mock embarrassment. "Can't imagine _this_ whole thing's gonna be easy to deal with around here, though."

Christina sighed, pushing her glasses up on her nose with her stylus. 

"The President's already taken at least a dozen different calls in the last hour," she explained in hushed tones, easily picked up by Rouge's ears. "So far, we haven't been able to get in contact with anyone from Soleanna; no staff, no Regent, and _certainly_ no Duchess. I imagine they're still handling damage control over there, and they'll be at it for awhile, but things aren't looking good."

Rouge sighed through her nose slowly, averting her eyes with a small frown on her lips.

"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of..." she said quietly, the echo lost in the distant but audible bustle of working bodies. Clearly, the White House staff would not be going home early anytime that day.

"Here we are," said Christina, pulling open the door to the President's office, allowing both Rouge and Omega entry before closing the door behind herself. 

As expected, President Mansley was seated at his desk, a stressed crease visible between his eyebrows and at the corners of his mouth. The phone pressed to his ear as he muttered with someone on the other line.

Rouge raised an eyebrow as she watched him, one ear twitching ever so slightly but only picking up a few words. Nothing that seemed important, either.

The President glanced at her, slowly turning to the side and rushing a goodbye to whoever was on the other line before promptly hanging up and placing the phone back in the receiver. 

"Apologies for the wait, Agent Rouge," said President Mansley, fixing his tie and pulling himself back up to his desk. "It's been a rather hectic afternoon. There were some... urgent matters I had to discuss with fellow world leaders."

"I can imagine," Rouge replied, strolling up the desk with a hand on her hip, Omega lumbering behind her. "We saw it on the news in the waiting room. Trying times, huh?"

"More than I care to admit," said Mansley, pulling at the cuff of his suit jacket. "There's no news from Soleanna so far, but I'm hoping that Duchess Vianello is alright and is merely handling the situation as best as she can. She'll definitely have her hands full."

Rouge's smile faltered for a moment, but only by a little. Either President Mansley was denser than she thought, or he was just in denial; either situation was possible, and she wouldn't be surprised with the second one. She didn't doubt that many people were in denial, but even they had to see the glaring unlikelihood that Elise would let the Shield fall in the way it had and keep it down. If she were alright, there was no way in hell she would stand for it. But the possibility of her being safe and sound in Soleanna had already left Rouge's mind long ago.

"Aren't we all," she said, leaving it at that. 

"I expected to see Agent Shadow with you," Mansley commented, eyeing Omega with a polite but cautious smile. "He's usually the one that accompanies you on visits like this."

Rouge shrugged half-heartedly, an icy thorn digging its way into her chest and bitterness tugging at her lips.

"Well, you know how it is," she said, voice even and friendly but razor-sharp like a live wire. "Contract renewal is always a dicey time, especially when it comes to G.U.N. Besides, they don't usually like him in overly-populated places, anyway, if they can help it. I mean, _you're_ friends with Keyes, I would've thought you'd know that."

Most people would have never dared to be passive-aggressive with the President of the United Federation, but Rouge wasn't most people. She knew how to speak just in the right tone, with just the right words, so nobody knew if she was serious or not. 

It was a skill she had learned very early in her youth, practically a second language. It wasn't always a skill she needed, but she never forgot it. Especially when it came to dealing with political leaders.

Eyeing her strangely, President Mansley gave a half-hearted smile, swallowing a lump in his throat. Rouge's smile widened slightly in satisfaction.

"R-right, of course," he said, stuttering briefly. "I suppose I _did_ know that it was about that time..."

With that, Rouge let the edge in her smile fade and gave a good-natured shrug, tapping on Omega's chest plate with her knuckles.

"Besides, this big guy makes for just about the same type of company," she said. "Same difference, really."

"Incorrect," Omega cut in, not moving an inch. "I am superior companionship to _all_ others."

Rouge let herself laugh a little, shaking her head.

"Whatever makes you happy."

The two of them were pulled from their short conversation by the President holding out an electronic tablet to her. Rouge took it without a thought, looking over the screen curiously. Her profile was displayed directly beside Shadow's, detailing their status as G.U.N. agents and their history with the corporation, with a typed briefing open directly below. Rouge raised an eyebrow but otherwise did not let anything else show on her face.

"Speaking of G.U.N.," began the President. "I've actually been meaning to discuss that with you, about your association with them and Princess Sally's upcoming Coronation in the Mobian U.Z.A. It's a hectic time of year for all of you, I'm sure, and from what I recall, you three are to be stationed at the Coronation as security."

"That's the plan," Rouge confirmed, glancing up at him cautiously. "Unless there's been changes?"

"Not that I'm aware of," said Mansley. "You'd have to consult Keyes on that. But given... _recent_ events, new assignments will likely be coming up for the three of you, though I wouldn't be able to give specifics. Personally, I think it highly unlikely that you'll be pulled from the Coronation posting, as long as Keyes is in a good mood. I heard that your last mission on the ARK went well, which definitely works in your favor! I wouldn't worry about that too much, though."

 _As long as Keyes is in a good mood_.

Of course, it was always about what mood the Commander was. Predictably, the President didn't seem to see anything wrong with that. But Rouge had long since given up hope of him coming to his senses, so she wasn't surprised.

"With the way things are going, in fact..." Mansley continued, reaching into one of his desk drawers and pulling out a thin packet of papers. "I think that, sooner or later, we can even work on transferring you to a different unit!" As if he was doing some grand presentation, Mansley plopped the papers down onto the edge of the desk, looking _quite_ proud of himself.

Rouge looked up at him, almost in shock, blinking dumbly and wondering if she had heard him right. Her eyes flickered down to the papers, slowly taking them and holding them in front of her. The tablet, in her other hand, was almost entirely forgotten as she skimmed the documents.

Transfer papers. Crisp and clean and unmarked but for her name and Agent Number written in chicken scratch on one of the dotted lines.

The President smiled at her and shrugged.

"Now, I don't like to think badly of them," he said. "They _are_ the Guardians of our Nations! But... I know how much you hate working for them all the time, especially after so many years. So, I think we can work something out soon enough that'll get you out of working with them all the time. There are a few units I can think of that would _love_ to have you, and you'd definitely benefit from some of them. _Spreading your wings_ a bit could definitely do some good!"

Rouge bit her cheek at the joke*****, resisting the urge to snap at the man and keeping her face as neutral as possible. Pretending that she wasn't gripping the tablet with white-knuckled fingers and that her jaw ached from gritting her teeth. 

A transfer, huh?

...

No way in hell.

She pretended to think about it for a moment, putting on a show of gazing thoughtfully at the papers and the ceiling, a hum vibrating in her throat, before shaking her head.

"Nah," she said plainly, sliding the papers back onto the desk. Mansley looked shocked, staring at the documents dumbly before looking back up at her. Rouge barely contained a triumphant smirk.

"I appreciate it, Mr. President, really," she continued, the lie slipping off her tongue like butter. "It's nice to know someone at the top is lookin' out for me, but I'll pass. Sure, everyone at G.U.N. is a real drag, and they could stand to have the sticks removed from their asses-"

Christina muffled a laugh, snorting quietly from her place on the couch.

"-but, well... I've gotten used to it—besides, no real point in putting me somewhere else after _this_ long. Don't think I've forgotten how the _first_ transfer went. I'd rather _not_ repeat that if it means having to a start all over again."

And _not_ if it meant leaving Shadow alone.

She had never doubted the kid's ability to take care of himself and others, as she had seen him do it countless times before, and he wasn't foolish by any means. But he was fragile in some ways. It was difficult to see, and he hid it remarkably well behind a well-crafted mask that he had built up over many years and countless traumas, but it was there. And enough pressure in the right places could readily tear him apart.

Places that she was sure the Commander could figure out if he hadn't already; that she was sure he would be all the more eager to use against him if the timing called for it.

Shadow had been through too damn much as it was, and she was not about to let manipulative government officials pull any more strings that couldn't afford to be tugged at.

_You won't hurt him again. I won't let you._

Rouge's chest ached as the back of her eyes burned, but she ignored it, plastering on a facade for all outward appearances.

The President quickly reorganized himself, his expression shifting from dumb shock to mere surprise, and he nodded slowly.

"Alright..." he began. "Well, that's certainly not what I expected, but if that's what you prefer, then I'm more than happy to oblige. I'm sure Keyes wouldn't be very pleased about me stealing one of his best soldiers, anyway."

Rouge smirked at that, a false chuckle rumbling from her throat.

"But don't forget," Mansley continued. "As one of our top agents, who has performed very well for years, I might add, you _do_ have some privileges stocked up in your favor. If you ever decide you want to use them," he held his arms out in a small, welcoming gesture, "you know where to find me."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said. _Just not in the way you think_ , was left unspoken and unacknowledged.

Oh, she'd use it, alright. When the pieces finally fell into place, she'd use everything she had and get all of them out—one day.

"Now, what else did you want to talk about?" Rouge asked, looking at the tablet in her hands again. "I'm gonna guess there's something bigger past my possible transfer, going by the files you have on here."

"Oh, yes!" Mansley confirmed, folding his hands on his desk. "I have spoken with the Commander recently, and there's an assignment coming up in a few days that he may need both you and Shadow for. It's not confirmed if you'll be on the mission yet, as there are still some factors to add in and some scouting of the details, but it'd be best for you to be prepared in case you get called out. It shouldn't be anything too difficult from the sounds of it, a simple reconnaissance mission, more or less. If you two _do_ get sent out, then that probably means it requires some stealth capabilities and power if things get messy. There's a briefing of it on there for you to read if you like. You'd have to ask the Commander for more details; I only have so much information."

"Recon, huh?" Rouge echoed, scanning the documents on the tablet again. "Don't mind those, actually. When they go well, that is. Well, if they need us, we'll get it done. Here's to hoping that it doesn't interfere with Coronation plans."

"I don't think it will," assured President Mansley. "From what I know, it's a relatively simple assignment and won't take a significant amount of time. A few days at most, I imagine. Besides! The Coronation is a significant security risk for Princess Sally, and there's no one better for keeping her safe than the three of you and your friends down south. Even _Keyes_ knows that."

"Maybe," Rouge said slowly, mockingly entertaining the idea of Keyes valuing their importance, "though that's never deterred him before. But I suppose I can take your word for it."

"And I appreciate that," he said. "And, if you like, I can always try and persuade the Commander a bit. After all, you three are close friends of the Princess, and it'd surely be a shame to miss out. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do anything about emergency assignments that have to come up before then, though. I'd think the Coronation would take priority, but... it's difficult to say at this point."

Rouge just barely stopped herself from cringing at that and instead raised an eyebrow as she handed the tablet back to him over the desk.

"I think we'll be fine," she said. "I wouldn't expect you to be able to do anything about it. Shit happens, clearly. With any luck, the world will calm down for a hot minute... though Soleanna might have something to say about that."

The President shifted uncomfortably but nodded in agreement.

"Yes... it would seem so."

"Is that all?"

"Oh! Yes, that's all. I appreciate you waiting for so long for such a short meeting. Christina will show you out if you like."

"Eh, don't worry about it." Rouge shrugged as she and Omega made their way to the door. "I've been here long enough to find my way. You guys just focus on what's important."

"Agent Rouge."

Rouge paused in the doorway, her hand loosely grasping the one closed door as she looked at the President over her shoulder. Her face was carefully crafted into an expression of calm, playful indifference, a mask she had worked on for years. Mansley looked hesitant for a moment but smiled at her and held up the papers he had tried to give her earlier.

"Don't forget," he said. "If you change your mind, _these_ will be ready for you."

If Rouge's hand happened to tighten on the edge of the door, knuckles white beneath her dark gloves, then that was her business.

A thoughtful, crooked smile slipped uneasily onto her face.

"I'll keep that in mind."

They left without another word, trudging down the hallway they had come down, the distant aftermath of panic bustling through the walls, the ringing of rotary phones hissing unpleasantly in her ears. Her lips pulled into a tight, bunched line, and she shook off the irritation with a stiff stretch of her wings. 

"Rouge the Bat's stress levels are currently calculated at 76%," Omega observed from beside her, "a significant spike from earlier in the day. The highest points were 13 minutes ago and 5 minutes ago, preceded by the offer of transferring governmental units. Measurement of current blood pressure is recommended."

Breathing and exhaling deeply, Rouge shook her head.

"I'm not stressed, Big Guy," she said, "and I _don't_ need my blood pressure checked, either. I'm just... worried, I guess."

"Is this about Agent Shadow?" Omega asked, turning his torso slightly to look at her.

Rouge huffed a laugh, side-eyeing him slightly.

"When isn't it? I know I shouldn't be as worked up as I am, but Mansley and the Commander seem to think I'm some kind of idiot. Transferring units would mean leaving both you _and_ Shadow to deal with G.U.N. by yourselves, and they know that, too. And I have a lot of faith in the kid, I do, but I know what G.U.N. will do to him if he's on his own."

"I detected no obvious signs of deception in President Mansley at either instance," Omega informed her.

"He's probably too dense to see it himself. I know he means well; he always does, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get on my nerves. If anything, it makes it worse."

"How so?"

"If he's trying to trick me, then that's one thing," Rouge explained. "I can deal with manipulative, self-centered pricks just fine. They're like mosquitos for me by now. But if he actually just doesn't see it? Then that means he really _is_ that blind, and he doesn't get that his "helping" is doing more harm than good. At this point, I don't know which I'd prefer, considering he runs this whole damn country."

Rouge pushed open the White House's front doors with ease, eagerly greeting the cool breeze that brushed against her face. 

"Not to mention him going off about how I have _so much_ privilege with my position," Rouge continued as they descended the front steps. "And yeah, he's not wrong. I got more leeway than most people in this joint... it's just a matter of where I can actually _use_ it."

"My memory banks recall this as being... minimal."

Rouge huffed a laugh, waiting as the front gates slowly slid open at their presence.

"You got that right," she said. "But I'll find a way to use it properly. And when I do," she looked at Omega over her shoulder, eyeing him seriously with no trace of her signature smile, "I'm getting all of us out of this place. Shadow, especially."

"Would this plan not be considered a form of desertion?"

Rouge shrugged, exiting the White House grounds with Omega following closely behind, the bustle of the street filling in around them.

"All depends on how you look at it," she said, her lips pulling up into a smile. "Can't exactly be deserting our posts if we got permission from someone high up on the food chain. Figuring out how to get out of that contract they have on Shadow will be a different thing, but you just leave that to me."

"I do not recall having expressed interest in this plan."

"Well, you don't _have_ to come along; that's up to you," she said, eyeing him smugly. "But you know as well as I do that getting out of this hellhole will give you a lot more freedom to kick all of the ass you want. Of the egg-shaped sort, naturally."

Omega was silent for a moment, trailing behind her with heavy steps. Rouge raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that she had gotten some sort of reaction. Finally, after a moment, Omega seemed to stand straighter, pressing forward.

"I am now expressing interest in this plan," he said, and Rouge snorted a laugh, covering her mouth with the back of her hand and slapping the other on his metal arm.

"That's the spirit! Now come on, we got work to do."

~~~*~~~

###### New Mobotropolis

Team Rose was allowed into Acorn Castle with little resistance. The three of them were a common sight and well known by the staff and guards, who had no qualms in making way for them as they barrelled through the front doors hurriedly asked about Sally's location.

Before long, they trampled their way into one of the foyers, where Sally jumped in surprise at their sudden presence. Heaving with exhaustion, Amy took a moment to notice the state of the lobby, which had seemingly been set up into a make-shift home base. Multiple fold-out tables lined the walls, and various members of the castle staff, including several members of the Royal Guard, were bustling around to and fro, doing everything they could to handle the situation they had suddenly been presented with. On the far side of the room, she could see Bunnie instructing a few different staff members on a shoddy diagram layout but couldn't make out what was on it.

But all of that slipped her mind as she looked back at Sally, who had a small smile of relief slowly growing on her face. Putting aside the rising heat in her ears, Amy smiled back despite her fatigue.

"We came as soon as we heard," she explained. "We saw it on the news."

"Thanks, you guys," said Sally as she walked up to them. "Everyone's seen it on the news, I'm sure. It's been a rough couple of hours; I'm glad to see some more friendly faces."

The Chipmunk paused a moment, keen eyes observing Amy's face for a moment. The pink Hedgehog stared back with far less grace than she would usually care to admit.

Slowly, Sally smiled a little wider, face lit with a warmth that Amy couldn't identify as the Princess pointed between her own eyes, never looking away from her.

"I like the glasses," said Sally. "I hadn't seen them yet. They look good on you."

To say that Amy didn't stutter like an idiot would be a lie, and she bashfully adjusted her spectacles on her small nose.

"Oh! Uh... thanks! Got them just last week!"

"I heard," said Sally, raising an amused eyebrow.

Amy rubbed at the back of her head absently, her tied-up quills rustling between her fingers. She didn't say anything but was sure her dopey smile and bright red ear tips were speaking for themselves just fine.

Distantly, she heard Cream give an audible hum and chanced a glance at her over her shoulder. Sure enough, the Rabbit was giving her the hooded side-eye, with a smug smile and a small, teasing eyebrow wiggle. 

Pressing her lips into a razor-thin thin, Amy shook her head minutely, hoping her death glare was just as significant as usual.

 _Do not say a word_.

Cream, getting the message, said nothing but shrugged and looked away innocently, that damned smile never leaving her face. Amy sighed a quiet huff before shaking her head and looking back to Sally, who had clearly been watching the exchange with an amused twinkle in her eyes.

"Um, right," Amy stuttered, correcting herself and getting back to the task at hand. "Has there been any updates, do you know?"

Sally's smile faded just as quickly as she was questioned, and Amy ached with the need to put it back where it belonged.

"I'm afraid not," said Sally, looking at the rest of the room over her shoulder. "We've been trying, but we haven't been able to get in contact with anyone from Soleanna. And neither has anyone else, from the sounds of it. I know it hasn't been very long, and damage control after a natural disaster can definitely take some time, but we're hoping things will be settled over there soon enough." She shrugged helplessly, glancing back to them with a half-hearted grin. "I mean, if nothing else, I'm looking forward to talking with Lord Regis again. When I actually _can_ talk to him, at least."

"What do you think happened?" Cream asked, stepping forward up beside Amy as Big towered behind them.

"I'm not sure..." Sally responded. "I have a few ideas, but none of them are good."

"Like what?" Big asked, tilting their head curiously.

"Well, there're a few things we know for sure." The Princess waved for them to follow her and led them over to one of the many fold-out tables that dotted the room. Several loose papers were scattered about the tabletop, most of them connected to each other with thin pieces of scotch tape. What looked to be a rough, brainstorming mind-map was etched into most of them, arrows crossing the edges and pointing to and fro at different points. 

Amy raised her eyebrows, not expecting it but far more impressed than she expected to be. Sally's thought process out on paper (or many papers) was indeed a sight to behold. To her, anyway.

"First," Sally continued, pointing to one of the bubbles on the map, "we know that the Shield wouldn't normally come down on its own. It could, but Elise has always assured us that it's extremely unlikely as long as she's in Soleanna, including when she's sleeping or preoccupied with something else." Sally gestured to a couple of smaller bubbles surrounding the bigger one. "The only scenarios where it would come down on its own if she was far away, far away for a long time, or..." She hesitated for a moment. Exhaling heavily, Sally refused to look any of them in the eye. "... Or if she dies."

Amy bit down hard on her lip, fingers tightening on the edge of the table. Beside her, Big shifted thoughtfully, and Cream slowly shook her head without a word.

"Of course, we're going to try to assume it's not the last one," Sally assured, going back to the map and pointing elsewhere. "Sonic and Tails confirmed yesterday that Elise was at the capital when they dropped off her invitation. As far as we know, she didn't have any plans to leave sooner than two weeks from now. Even if she left for any reason the moment Sonic and Tails left, she shouldn't have been able to get very far in such a short amount of time. And even if she _did_ manage to get far - and that's a pretty big if - she hasn't been gone _that_ long."

"Do you think it was Eggman?" Amy asked.

"That was my first thought. But nothing can get through the Shield without Elise's express permission, except for Sonic and Tails. Even if he _could_ , he would've made a far bigger fuss about it."

"He _does_ really like the recognition," Cream mused, and Cheese cooed in agreement from beside her. "He'd think it would count as bragging rights."

Sally nodded slowly, pressing her lips together tightly.

"And... I know none of us _want_ to consider the idea of her dying, but it's still something we need to address."

"But that wouldn't just happen without people knowing, right?" Amy asked. "I mean, sure, it hasn't been that long, but people would know by now anyway, wouldn't they?"

"My thoughts exactly," said Sally with a small smile. "There _is_ the possibility that she could've died in the earthquake, but my thought is that it would take a bit longer for the Shield to come down. But this was _immediate_ , _as_ the earthquake was happening."

"I thought Chun-Nan and those areas did get earthquakes?" Cream pondered aloud, furrowing her brow in thought.

"They _don't_ ," Sally confirmed. "Or at least not very often. Of course, it's not impossible, but the fact that it _only_ hit Soleanna is another weird detail. Soleanna isn't on a fault line, either."

"So someone else did it, then?" Big asked, Froggy croaking on their shoulder.

"Well, earthquake aside... the only logical situation I can imagine that doesn't involve her suddenly dying is if Elise somehow didn't exist anymore. Or at least doesn't exist in _this_ present moment."

"Wait, do you think it's one of those time travel things again?" Amy asked, raising an eyebrow incredulously before deflating slightly. "And here I thought we were done with those..."

"It's not impossible, all things considered," said Sally. "I'm not too sure how time travel works myself... you guys would know more about than me. But if Elise ceased to exist in our present moment, that could explain how the Shield might register her as being far away or gone for a long time. Or, technically dead, as far as it would be concerned. Suppose Elise somehow got transported to another time, even to another _timeline_. In that case, technically, she doesn't exist in _our_ timeline and wouldn't be present to hold up the Shield. Even if it held up for awhile, it would still come down eventually if she didn't exist."

"How exactly did you figure this out?" Cream asked.

"I'm a little sleep-deprived and just caffeinated enough to come up with it," Sally responded. "Even if it doesn't necessarily make any sense, it's _still_ a possibility."

The reality and implications of Sally's words hit Amy all at once, a metaphoric brick wall slamming into her face and making her stomach drop with anticipation. Her eyes widened, and she pushed herself away from the table with the realization that, without knowing it, they had come at _exactly_ the right time.

"Wait... are you saying what I think you're saying?" she asked slowly, heart beating heavily against her ribcage with a somber hand wrapped firmly around it.

Sally locked eyes with her, an intensity in them that cut off the rest of the room and brought the real world crashing down upon them.

"I am," she confirmed.

Amy let out a shaky breath.

"I think... for _whatever_ reason... someone from either the past or the future might have come for her."

The lump in her throat was thick, but she swallowed it down as she clenched her fists and reveled in the sensation of pulling apart the strands of space and putting them back together. Invisible strings grasped loosely at her fingertips.

"Which means?" she asked.

Sally met her head-on.

"We need to call Silver."

~~~*~~~

###### Just Outside of New Mobotropolis

As much as she would've enjoyed help, Vanilla didn't mind cleaning up the training field on her own. While some stronger hands were definitely required for some of it, she still prided herself on being able to make the job marginally easier.

She couldn't complain about the peaceful quiet of the forest, either, littered with shards of glass and metal that her sharp eyes quickly picked up with the fading light of day. Always mindful of her hands and knees, she carefully picked up the sharps and scraps by gentle handfuls, discarding them into one of the plastic buckets she carried with her. All the buckets were tied to a conveniently fashioned wooden rod that balanced well on her shoulders. It wasn't the most creative of tools, but she had been sure to thank Tails for it anyway; it certainly made her job easier where she could use it.

Scanning the ground for any more scraps, Vanilla righted one of the many repurposed Eggbots they had picked up from Eggman's past schemes. She positioned it so that it leaned against the tree it was meant to hide behind and took a moment to examine the sizable pellet that was currently embedded in its head; Cream's work, no doubt.

Amy was more prone to her Hammer and Big their fishing rod, so it must have been Cream. The little Rabbit had recently taken a fancy to utilizing enemy attacks as her own and Vanilla was still scratching her head as to where she had gotten that idea from.

Shadow, perhaps?

Rouge?

Out of the two of them, it was probably Rouge.

Shaking her head, Vanilla picked up the buckets and continued on her way through the woods, maneuvering between the trees and over logs and small boulders. She eyed a destroyed wooden replica of a Motobug and a cardboard cut-out of Sonic and smiled, deciding to leave the wood splinters for the time being and come back for them later.

Admiring Team Rose's handiwork as she trekked through the woods, Vanilla hummed quietly to herself, pondering each and every piece of debris and the untouched cut-outs of Sonic. They had definitely improved, she knew. Cream was far bolder than she used to be, no longer willing to cower in corners or stand down if she had the choice. Amy, now with her glasses, had nearly evolved from her previous visually impaired self - not a single decoy was touched.

Big was the same as ever; straightforward, simple, slow, but still ready to pick up their fishing rod and fight for their friends if it came down to it. They were a sobering person to be around when things got too hectic. Vanilla was glad for them and their friendship with the girls, especially in recent years, when things became tenser.

It had been a long time since their fight had begun and since her own battle had ended and her friends dispersed. Nibbling absently at her bottom lip, she couldn't help the ache that persisted in her chest. She had been just as young as them, at the beginning. She knew what it was like, even if it hadn't been to the same extent as what they were forced to endure. Perhaps that was why she felt sorry for them.

Swallowing down her thoughts, Vanilla trekked through the forest, picking up more scraps along the way, heading for the clearing where the Egg Guardian lay in pieces. Cleaning up the damage done to that one was never an easy task, and she definitely couldn't lift it on her own, but she could at least gather up what had been knocked off and crushed by Amy, Cream, and Big.

Tails would fix it later, whenever he and Sonic returned from overseas. Until then, it would be out of commission; however, she didn't think they would need it anytime soon, all things considered.

Finally, the trees thinned and began to part, the clearing visible just ahead in the mid-evening light. Vanilla squinted against the sun as she stepped into the clearing, a light breeze pulling at the hem of her dress.

"Alright," she sighed, preparing herself and blinking through the sun's rays. "Time to clean you up again."

The sunlight was blocked behind the tip of a tall conifer, and her vision cleared-

-and she stopped. 

All at once, she was breathless, eyes widening, and heart pounding painfully against her ribcage in slow motion. Her hand on the rod loosened, the buckets falling from her shoulders. The clanging of metal and glass rang distantly as the wind tugged at the grass and her eyelashes.

Quickly, she glanced around the clearing, turning to and fro, trying to find something, _anything_ , even though she knew it was fruitless. Finally, she came to a halt where she had begun, her shoulders deflating.

"Oh, dear..." she breathed, swallowing the thick lump in her throat that she soon settled in her stomach.

Aside from the remnants of a borderline one-sided battle, a severed robotic arm, and the fallen pieces of a broken husk, the clearing was empty.

The Egg Guardian was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, look at that! We are at the end! Welcome!  
> A couple of notes for the stars I put throughout:
> 
> *Antoine is very clearly French, I know, but given that I am going off of Sonic Unleashed's world map, and Spagonia is basically all of Spain, France, Britain, and all of those other countries combined, I figured that I couldn't really call the language "French" since France wouldn't actually exist in this universe. Therefore, the language is called Franca and is the mother tongue of a substate in Spagonia that (as Spagonia is a country, as far as I'm concerned) that is based on France, and would be where Antoine's family originally hails from. Naturally, though, it is still a part of Spagonia, which therefore justifies the statement of Spagonia being his homeland.
> 
> **The names for Lupe's Wolf Pack are names based on the Sioux Native American Tribe in the United States. Given that the Wolf Pack is based on Native American tribes and they live primarily in the Thunder Plains, I decided to use the Sioux Tribe as a reference for them, as they were one of the dozens of Native American tribes that lived on the Great Plains, according to my research. 
> 
> ***A bit of minor point, but I kind of have this idea that Mobians aren't necessarily too concerned with getting dirt on furniture via their shoes, considering they literally always wear their shoes inside (from what we've seen, at least).
> 
> ****I like to think that Mobians have slightly different marriage traditions than humans probably would. Seeing as how they all wear gloves and have different cuffs/bracelets for them, I decided to make Wedding Bracelets a thing over wedding bands/rings. Wedding Bracelets, kind of like wedding rings, would be worn on the left wrist/arm, and could either act as the cuff for a person's glove or they could wear it above their usual cuffs (like Vector does). Another note I'd like to make is with the sapphire component on Vector and Espio's bracelets; considering that the Chaos Emeralds are a thing, I'd like to think that Mobians tend to be more aware of the meanings of gemstones than humans usually are, and use them to their advantage more often. You can look up the symbolism of sapphires if you want ;)
> 
> *****Considering they're all animals, I can't imagine that Mobians like having those kinds of jokes made at or about them by Humans, even if they are meant to be funny and good-natured. Rouge especially wouldn't like it.
> 
> And that is all! Until next time, lovelies!


End file.
